Proposals to turn the former Aviva towers in Norwich city centre into flats for students – and to create a pedestrian link through to the bus station – have run into an objection.

Eastern Daily Press: An artist's impression of what the revamp St Stephens Towers could look like. Pic: Crown Student Living.An artist's impression of what the revamp St Stephens Towers could look like. Pic: Crown Student Living. (Image: Crown Student Living)

Developer Crown Student Living wants to refurbish the St Stephen's Street towers, which have stood empty for eight years, so that 740 students from the University of East Anglia and the Norwich University of Arts can live there.

Links to the towers from the bus station are planned – one specifically for the students living there and one which would get the public through to St Stephens Street.

The developers had looked at whether a purpose built walkway through from the bus station to St Stephens Street could be provided, but concluded it was neither viable or feasible.

However, Aviva Investors, who sold the site to Crown Student Living, have agreed to invest money into the empty store formerly occupied by BHS – which could create a public route through a back door.

However, Norfolk County Council's highways department has lodged a holding objection.

In a letter lodged with the city council, which will decide whether to grant permission, highways development manager John Shaw, said: 'Whilst I have no objection to the overall concept and indeed the county council welcomes the buildings adjacent to the bus station being bought back into use, nevertheless there are concerns in relation to pedestrian access.

'I note the applicant's intention is to gain pedestrian access to their site via the bus station, however the bus station is in the private ownership of Norfolk County Council and there are no public rights of access at all.

'At present no formal agreement has been reached with this developer to access their development via Norfolk County Councils land.'

He said without such agreement, students would have to gain access via a delivery service yard, which he feared would not be safe.

And he raised concerns over the route for the public through the shop, located behind the ticket office, which he said could be dangerous at night.

He said: 'Walking behind the bus station ticket office at night; in the hours of darkness; when there will be few people around; only to find the route isn't open surely is not a good idea.'

But the idea has received backing from a charity which aims to get people walking.

John Peacock, chairman of the Norwich branch of Living Streets, said: 'It is vitally important that this long overdue initiative is enacted at the earliest opportunity.

'It is unacceptable that pedestrians and bus users have had to endure years of inconvenience to gain access to such an important transport hub in the centre of our city, whilst visitors to the city become greatly confused and surprised when locals try to explain how to access the bus station.

And Stefan Gurney, executive director of Norwich Business Improvement District, has signalled the organisation's support for the plans.

In a submission to the city council he wrote: 'The BID Board were supportive of the development to re-use a key site within the city centre to bring life and vibrancy back into the city with residential living.'