PLANS to transform the site of a former Exeter nightclub into a giant block of student flats have been lodged with the city council.

Developer Spinnaker Estates says the six-storey block on the corner of Verney Street and Summerland Street will meet a growing need for well-managed student housing in Exeter.

The building will go up on the site of the old Unit 1 nightclub and the Best Tyre Auto Centre next door. It will contain 180 studio apartments for university students, alongside a wide range of internal and external amenities.

Spinnaker Estates says the scheme has been designed, with support from Ruff Architects, to respond positively to its surroundings within the ‘Grecian Quarter Regeneration Area’.

Talks have been going on with the city council since May last year to refine the design, and the latest application has cut the height of the building from seven storeys to six to avoid overshadowing other nearby homes.

Public consultation also took place last summer.

The proposed development includes a central courtyard and shared amenity spaces including a residents’ lounge, games room, study spaces, gym and laundry facilities.

It has been designed to achieve net zero carbon in operation.

A spokesman for Spinnaker Estates said: “The development would significantly improve the appearance of this currently under-utilised site, delivering a high-quality six-storey building that is commensurate in scale and character with other recent developments in the immediate area.

“The need for new student accommodation in Exeter continues to grow, with the University of Exeter’s student intake increasing by an estimated 750 students per year.

“Purpose-built student accommodation plays a vital role in meeting this demand, while also helping to reduce pressure on the city’s existing housing stock.”

According to the developers, in 2022/23 just under 11,000 students were living in private rented accommodation, much of it in houses of multiple occupation that could otherwise provide homes for local families.