By Hannah Wiles
A three-storey extension on top of a building has received approval from Leicester City Council to add 32 additional student flats, subject to conditions.
The Grade II listed building, at 15 Henshaw Street, Chevron Court, is currently two-four storey block of 57 flats.
The property, formerly an elastic webbing factory, serves as a surviving example of an exposed iron frame structure, which gave it its Grade II designation.
It also serves as an example of the prosperous clothing trades in Leicester during the 1800s.
Due to the close distance to De Montfort University, the University of Leicester and Leicester Royal Infirmary, the building sits in an area already dominated by student accommodation.
The site is only a three-minute walk from DMU, just 0.2 miles away.
The plan for the building is to build upwards, to construct a three-storey extension on top, bringing the total number of units to 85, with four cluster flats and a total of ten bedrooms.
There will also be alterations to facilitate a new second entrance to the building, as well as installations of solar panels to the new roof.
The application was originally taken to the council’s Conservation Advisory Panel, which evaluates and reviews development proposals.
In councillors’ review of the three-storey extension, they objected to the scheme.
The panel said: “Regarding the proposed extension itself, there was consensus among members that the design failed to respect the character and quality of the host building.”
They criticised the choice of materials and the positioning of the roof-top solar panels.
They also mentioned the overhang of the extension to the front and rear of the building and the loss of light on the lower floors.
They added: “The conclusion was that the proposed extension was not good enough.”
However, following the Conservation Advisory Panel’s objection, the application was brought to the council’s full Planning and Development Control Committee.
At the planning meeting last Wednesday(JAN21), the building plan was approved subject to conditions, including that construction must begin within three years and the existing iron frame structure must be retained.
The council had recently approved a scheme in November 2025 to demolish buildings at 150 St Nicholas Circle and 3-5 Bath Lane to build a new seven-storey block with 102 student flats.
The recent decision for Chevron Court adds to a series of recent student housing developments in Leicester city.