The owners of student accommodation on Fylde Road want permission to house young professionals and graduates

In an application submitted to City Hall designers, the company claims that while demand from students – whom it wants to keep as its main customers – has dropped, it is forced to turn away others who would like to live in its premises or continue to live there. able to do this.

“The Jubilee Court office receives a number of accommodation inquiries every week, mainly from young professionals who have recently graduated or are looking for cost-effective housing solutions,” the planning statement explains.

“In addition to direct inquiries, approximately one-third of current student tenants inquire about staying at the property after graduation.

“This (would) provide graduates with a platform to access the local job market or provide a bridge to further education. The accommodation is also well suited for young, professional key workers who want to work locally and benefit from a very sustainable location close to local public transport infrastructure.

The plans assume that graduates will be able to stay in this place for up to two years after graduation.

The accommodation consists of 44 apartments, consisting of five or six rooms sharing a kitchen and dining room, as well as 20 “studio rooms”.

If its proposal is approved, FRMC says key workers and students will not be able to share the same space, with Block 3 of the site being reserved for those employed on-site. However, graduate tenants already living at Jubilee Court will be able to “remain within their social groups in existing rooms and blocks”.

The company claims it is at an “economic disadvantage” compared to similar, newer developments in Preston that do not only cater to students, as well as other establishments that have successfully applied to change their policies.

The FRMC claims in its application that although there was a shortage of student accommodation at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston in early 2010, the institution acknowledged at the time that the planned changes could ultimately lead to “oversupply”.

Who is a key worker?

The government definition of key workers is workers employed in:

***health and social care;

***education and childcare;

***key public services;

***food and other essential goods;

***local and national government;

***public safety and national security;

***transport;

***municipal, communication and financial services.

Subscribe: Stay in direct contact with the latest headlines from Blog Preston, join our whatsapp channel AND Sign up for our twice-weekly email newsletter. Both free and straight to your phone and inbox.