A CARPET store is up for sale and could be turned into student flats – opposite the site of a four-floor student accommodation block.

Planning consent has been granted to allow 12 student flats at Canterbury Works in Glanville Road.

The two-storey furniture showroom could be repurposed as commercial mixed-use on the ground floor, with 12 one-bedroom student accommodation on the first and second floors.

The student flats opportunity is being sold by White Commercial Surveyors, a Banbury-based property consultants.

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In a statement, the company said: “The Cambridge Centre for Housing & Planning research of student housing demand and supply for Oxford City Council confirms that a total of 13,467 student rooms would have to be built if the current and potential future ‘shortfalls’ in student accommodation are to be met.

“This would accommodate all of the students who are not currently housed by their educational institution, and living in existing family housing shared with other students, therefore, allowing the return of all shared houses currently occupied by students to the open market.

“If purpose-built student accommodation is not available to meet future growth, then by 2026, 754 additional existing houses would have to be converted into shared student accommodation in order to meet demand, leading to a total number of shared houses of approximately 2,432.”

Canterbury Works is located off Cowley Road, opposite Host’s The Mews student accommodation.

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The four-floor block offers accommodation for students at Oxford Brookes University.

Host is a provider of student accommodation across the UK.

Chris White, managing director of White Commercial, said the firm was expecting a ‘good deal of interest in the site’.

“This site is situated in an excellent location for this type of development close to Oxford city and already adjoining some quality student developments,” he said.

“We are expecting a good deal of interest in the site from both developers, investors and the colleges.

“The site also lends itself for self-contained accommodation and specific provision for lecturers and other university and college staff.”