A vacant town centre office building will be torn down to make way for 128 students bedrooms with retail space below.

The Axon building in Church Road, Egham, will be demolished and replaced with a five-storey building.

Controversially for some of the councillors at the Runnymede Borough Council March 25 planning committee – none of the 70 onsite car parking spots will be available for Royal Holloway students.

The plans will, however, deliver much needed purpose built digs for the University of London students and help reduce demand for HMO properties in the town.

Axon Centre in Church Road, Egham, is to be torn down and turned into student accommodation (image Google)

placeholder image — Axon Centre in Church Road, Egham, is to be torn down and turned into student accommodation (image Google)

The college supports the proposals – particularly given how close it is to Egham Railway Station.

“RHUL recognise the continuing demand for, and benefit of good value, good quality, well-located student housing that meets the needs of their students”, papers read.

“The delivery of appropriate purpose built student accommodation offers significant potential benefits, including reducing pressure on the local housing market, providing a safe and supportive environment for students, and enhancing the overall student experience.”

Officers said the site was in a highly sustainable town centre location while recommending the plans be approved.

Not everyone in the room was in full agreement however with some pushing for a portion of the car parking to be made available to students and not exclusively for shoppers visiting the unnamed retail outlet.

Councillor Isabel Mullens (Runnymede Independent Residents: Independent) said: “This application has two parts: a retail store and purpose built student accommodation.

“Personally I have no problem with the idea of having purpose built student accommodation here in Egham.

She added that the university needs more accommodation but was critical of the car parking arrangement where all the 70 spaces were to be given to the retail store and none to the students.

She said that was double the maximum for the retail unit and called for 13 made available to students leaving 57 for the store “way above the maximum number”.

Officers said proximity to the station made the site accessible and they did not want to encourage students parking at the site in order to keep traffic flowing freely.

Lead planner Ashley Smith said: “I think your consequences if you don’t have sufficient car parking for a retail centre are far worse than the completely foreseeable situation that you’re signing up to a tenancy without a car parking spot.”