CONSTRUCTION work has begun on a controversial student tower block in Southampton.

The £30m scheme will see a 12-storey student halls development at Cumberland Place, close to Watts Park in the city centre.

It will provide 527 student bed spaces, a ground floor commercial space, a common room, management suite and ancillary buildings.

As previously reported, the plans were criticised by local businesses who said the site is the wrong place for student accommodation and it would be more appropriate for high quality office development.

But the plans put forward by Victoria Hall Management Ltd, were given the thumbs up by Bargate ward councillor John Noon, who believes such a development could free up housing for residents and move students from shared accommodation into the block.

Now work is underway at the site and the first artist’s impressions of the new buildings have been unveiled.

Designed by Mike Skilton, director of Architecture at PLB, the building is conceived as three blocks formed around an open courtyard, fronting on to Cumberland Place and the opposite park.

The three blocks will be differentiated by height and materials.

An open colonnade to the southwest corner will front one of the shared retail areas and will lead around the side of the courtyard to the residential entrance, which will be at the back of the courtyard.

John Nesbitt, managing director of Victoria Hall Management, said: “Our expectation is that Cumberland Place will be the best student scheme in the city offering a variety of bedroom types, compelling amenity spaces for students and some of the best views over the city.”

Midas Construction will be carrying out the work and aims to complete the project by August 2019, ready for the intake of new students while a marketing suite is due to be launched in December 2018.

Peter Whitmore, divisional director for the southern region at Midas, said: “Not only does it represent a significant scheme in Southampton but it will enable us to showcase the exciting career opportunities available in the construction industry and to provide further employment opportunities.”

The company said it will provide a number of jobs, including apprenticeships, through the project.