PLANS to transform city centre offices into a major student flats development have been passed.

Southampton City Council has approved plans for an £11million development in Cumberland Place.

City chiefs supported the scheme at a meeting last week and work is now expected to start early next year.

As reported, Orchard Homes revealed plans to demolish the Cumberland Place building containing its offices to replace it with a 12-storey block containing flats for almost 200 students.

The company, which is also building a 349-flat hall of residence in Portswood, said the new building would contain 198 bedrooms in 141 flats.

The complex is also set to feature a cinema room, gym and communal study areas.

As well as construction jobs 10 new roles will be created including a management team, cleaners and overnight staff.

Now plans have been approved and the development is the latest in a series of student flat developments that are being built or have been agreed in the area.

Mark Sennitt, from Orchard Homes, said : “We see this as an excellent opportunity, one to provide high quality purpose built student accommodation in the centre of Southampton in what is an extremely sustainable location, in close proximity to the amenities of the city centre.”

Mr Sennitt confirmed that they are expecting to start construction in early 2017 ready for the intake of new students by September 2018.

Orchard Homes would relocate to new premises once work begins on site.

The approval comes after planning consent was granted for accommodation for 507 students at the nearby Bond site, with the building also rising to 12 storeys in height.

Construction is continuing on a £28 million, 467 student flat complex in St Mary’s Road.

And the Mayflower Halls building, near to the Mayflower Theatre, opened its doors to its first students in 2014, while the Brunswick House tower block has also been turned into accommodation.

The Southampton Park hotel next door to the Cumberland Place site is being converted into a Premier Inn.

Mr Sennitt added: “The application was submitted in response to a clear and ongoing need for purpose-built student accommodation that can serve both Southampton University and Southampton Solent University.”

Polygon resident Lorraine Barter, who is objecting to the plans, said further student developments are creating an “unbalanced community”.

“The Southampton Park Hotel is being replaced with a new hotel, and I don’t think it’s a good idea to have an upmarket hotel next to a block of students, but no doubt it will have a concierge.

“I don’t think it’s fair that there’s no amenity area, the students should have amenity space.”