We went for a walk round the Kelham Island area last night, and couldn't help but notice how dead it was, the new student accommodation seems to be two thirds empty.
Even if it was full, what on earth is there down there for young people, no shops, no takeaways, and no pubs, okay, I know there is the Fat Cat, Kelham Island Tavern and the Riverside, but they are hardly student type pubs, no music, no pool tables, no fruit machines.
The place looked absolutely soulless. How on earth do the student get to the university, there are no buses, no tram, well okay there is the tram, but a fair walk away, also the University is a long way away to walk to.
If you look round the Crookes, Broomhill, Hunters Bar area the place is still heaving with students.
What on earth made the University think students would want to live down there.

I live at Central Quay and it's actually not as bad as you would think! The place is pretty full & the walk to Shalesmoor tram stop isn't too bad really - plus the big tesco is pretty near! Plus, the fat cat & riverside are pretty awesome, they've both been really accomodating to us new students with loadsa deals (as well as free beer and food at the fat cat!).
Tisn't that bad at all!

What on earth made the University think students would want to live down there.

Isn't it private accomodation?

I can see where your coming from but it's not really that far from stuff. As mentioned the tram stop is only 5-10 mins away and town is a 15min walk. It just seems a long way out as it's the other side of town so to speak. I guess it's a lot cheaper than the other private accomodation and in a few years when the regeneration is complete it will be a top place to be. In the mean time if your a student it's cheap and if your ugly you can get some cheap action.:hihi:

I can see where your coming from but it's not really that far from stuff. As mentioned the tram stop is only 5-10 mins away and town is a 15min walk. It just seems a long way out as it's the other side of town so to speak. I guess it's a lot cheaper than the other private accomodation and in a few years when the regeneration is complete it will be a top place to be. In the mean time if your a student it's cheap and if your ugly you can get some cheap action.:hihi:

They say that it changes when the sun goes down around there...

What on earth made the University think students would want to live down there.


They didnt - those flats are built by UNITE a private company. All the new flats that have been built recently have been built by private developers...

They didnt - those flats are built by UNITE a private company. All the new flats that have been built recently have been built by private developers...

That may be the case, but they were still built as student accommodation, with the backing of the University.

The University doesn't back any of them as such. Unite stand and fall with their own choice of that location without any help from the Universities.

WTF? Central Quay is 10 mins walk from town!
These people are teenagers - if they cant manage that sort of walk.......

The flats themselves have (I hear) social facilities like computer rooms and pool tables etc anyway.
The reason it looked empty last night whilst you were walking is cos they were all in town getting rat-arsed!

P.S They ARE student flats.

That may be the case, but they were still built as student accommodation, with the backing of the University.

Incorrect.

The University offers no backing to the companies who are building the plethora of Students Accommodation that is currently appearing across Sheffield. Once they've been built and are ready for students they can apply to work in partnership with Sheffield University (and possibly Hallam - not sure how it works over there) and then the University can place people in the flats through ACS. If that happens the student pays their fees to ACS who take a cut. That's how the University managed to satisfy it's promise that all new students are guaranteed a place in halls after knocking half the accommodation down over the summer (Victoria House/Sorby Hall etc..).

I don't agree with it, for many reasons. But that isn't the topic of this thread.

I think the concept of putting student accommodation in other parts of town than S10 is excellent. Hopefully it will reduce some of the pressure of terraced houses being lived in by so many individuals and reduce the frustration voiced about student dominated areas sometimes raised.

I live at Riverside Exchange directly opposite Central Quay and I've also been thinking how exmpty it seems. At night there are only about half of the lights in the building on, and apart from a few students walking up and down Bridge Street, I haven't seen many of them around there.

The view from the front of the building isn't very good, but I do like the pathway next to the river that runs down one side of it.

I think UNITE see it very much as an investment.
Seeing the councils blueprints for the area, I envisage that Central Quay will be full in the next couple of years, and then every year after that.
At the min the area doesnt look very inviting with the building of the Inner relief road going on.

Once they develop that area it won't seem that far away but at the moment it just seems a little on there own. give it 4 or 5 years and it will almost be part of the town centre.

Once they develop that area it won't seem that far away but at the moment it just seems a little on there own. give it 4 or 5 years and it will almost be part of the town centre.

Agreed. Its only 5 mins from Fargate though at the min.