There is, understandably, a lot of talk about what might happen about Dorset House. Here’s what Ruth and I know about it:

• the plan is to build 316 student bedrooms, including 50 self-contained student flats
• no. 42 London Rd is to be retained, but no. 44 to be demolished and replaced with a gatehouse to the site
•  the buildings are to be set back from the road, behind a wall and fence
• the height of the buildings is planned to rise to four storeys as they move back on the site
• the intention is to have very limited car access to the site, with only a few disabled parking spaces available – all vehicular access to be from London Road
• the hope is that Brookes will rent the accommodation for the majority of the year, with the expectation of summer lets

It must be stressed that none of this is set in stone: the developers have outline plans and are talking to some residents, but we will only know the full detail when it is submitted as a planning application. When will that be? Within the month is the best guess.