Plans for a major student housing development in Portswood have drawn a slew of objections from both public and councillors.

Proposals to accommodate 519 students in a development to replace the Portswood Shopping Centre have drawn 38 public comments, with 34 objections, as well as objections from all three ward councillors.

A number of opponents say the proposed block is far too tall and out of character, with one resident calling it “slab-like” and another describing it as “grotesquely over-sized”. The Outer Avenue Residents’ Association argued it “represents significant overdevelopment” and warned it would “dominate the skyline”.

Loss of parking and pressure on traffic have also been raised, with the scheme expected to remove around 90 spaces. “With 500 students, where will they leave their cars?” asked one objector, while others questioned whether the single proposed access point would hold up traffic and obstruct the nearby cycle lane.

Concerns were also voiced over facilities for student drop-offs, with residents pointing out that “most occupants will be moving in and out at the same time”.

Objections also highlighted the limited amount of outdoor space and reduction of retail provision. Commenters noted that much of the landscaping and courtyards appeared to be private to students, while the overall retail offer would shrink by around 80% compared with the current shopping centre.

While welcoming the redevelopment “as an opportunity to revitalise a declining part of Portswood High Street”, Highfield Residents’ Association said they were “convinced that the design, scale and concept… would result in more harm than good in its current form”.

More broadly, residents commenting say they fear the addition of more than 500 student flats would “create imbalance” in the area. Some argued the district centre and surrounding neighbourhood had “reached tipping point”, warning that a further influx of students would turn it into “a transient dormitory with night time nuisance attached” rather than a hub for the wider community.

Several comments urged that new homes for families and young professionals should take priority over more student accommodation.

All three Portswood ward councillors also filed objections to the scheme: Cllr Marie Finn (Lab) said that while she appreciates “they are agreeing to not have take aways in the shops beneath the rooms ... there is still a net loss of retail which will affect the high street.” She also raised concerns about student demand given other blocks being built, and that the rooms wouldn’t be suitable for families or single people long-term.

Green Party councillor Katherine Barbour said she strongly objected to the application. She pointed to overshadowing of nearby homes, road safety concerns from deliveries and traffic disruption, and what she described as an oversized, out-of-character design that risked “dwarfing” surrounding buildings. She also raised fears over disturbance, lack of green infrastructure, and the need for family housing and local people rather than more student flats.

Labour councillor John Savage’s chief concern was the overall shortfall of retail space, warning the district centre needed a full offer to remain a thriving shopping area.

As previously reported, the applicant’s planning statement says that the development would secure a “long-term viable future for an underutilised site” and the “removal of unattractive buildings and hardstanding that offer little visual amenity nor a positive contribution to the streetscene”.

The applicant argued the new buildings would be “responsive to local context by featuring a proportionate scale and quality architectural treatments, to underpin the regeneration of Portswood.” The statement added that new student housing would “meet a clear and identified need” and it would have the indirect benefit of releasing family sized homes. The removal of the current entrance on the Portswood Road/Brookvale Road junction would benefit pedestrians and cyclists, and the project would create jobs and bring economic benefits related to the new student population “and their resultant spend capacity along Portswood Road and the wider area”.

The application is currently listed as “awaiting decision”. For now, though, the project cannot proceed until required bat surveys are completed, according to the council’s planning ecologist who has also lodged an objection.

All filed comments and planning documents are available to read from the council’s planning portal.