The Bootham and Monk Ward Conservative Club in Clarence Street sold their building after members voted to merge with the Heworth Conservative Club. The student flats will be made up of 34 rooms, with six clusters of between four and six rooms, plus eight studios. The current building is “boarded up and in a poor state of repair” according to the applicant, Clarence Street York Ltd.

Councillors voted to approve the scheme, but Coun Jonny Crawshaw said it was a shame to lose the two nineteenth century houses which bookend the core 1960s building. York St John University worked with the architects to come up with a bespoke design and the university has committed to taking on a long-term lease once the project is completed. They said the block would help them fulfill their guarantee to all first year UK, EU and international students to provide accommodation within its own halls of residence.

Parcels will be delivered to a central hub on the campus, a short walk away, and dropping off and picking up at the start and end of terms is co-ordinated via a booking system. The ground floor accommodation will include a communal lounge and storage areas for bikes and bins. The main access will be from Clarence Street, with a secondary access off Union Terrace.

Coun Andy D’Agorne urged council officers to ensure construction would be managed responsibly given the limited space and the neighbouring residential properties. Heworth and Bootham Conservative Club, in East Parade, Heworth, re-opened last year following a £200,000 refurbishment.

Conservative club in York to be demolished and turned into student flats after vote