STUDENTS living in a “tacky” home blasted for looking like a “Miller & Carter Steakhouse” have said they love it despite the criticism.
The former council property in Worcestershire was given an unexpected makeover by developers – but not everyone is impressed.
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Developers transformed the three-bed property into a five-bed fit for students.
The traditional brick look was replaced by a charcoal black paint – but it has left many disappointed.
A picture of the house caused uproar on X, formerly Twitter.
One user said it looked like a mini Wormwood Scrubs Prison, another likened it to a Miller & Carter Steakhouse and a third joked: “They couldn’t find grey grass?”
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However, the five students living in the property say they are very happy with their home and wouldn’t swap it.
Third year film production student Harvey Watkins, 20, told The Sun Online: “I don’t see what the chaos is about this place. There are quite a lot of houses this colour [around here].
To add to the look, the sizeable front lawn with burgeoning hedges was turned into what some likened to a Wetherspoons beer garden.
The garden area was covered in shingle with a pub-style table sitting on a small patch of fake grass.
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When planners were asked to approve the plan in 2022, they did so with reservations.
One councillor said: “I think a lot of us think it looks pretty ugly. I don’t think we can refuse it because we think it’s ugly, but it certainly is ugly.”
And another added: ‘I just want to go on record to say that I think it is absolutely monstrous and hideous but I’m not sure we can actually refuse it.”
However, the tenants said it is a “smart-looking” property in a good location.
Harvey said: “As a student, there is actually a lot to like about it. The location is very good. There’s a Tesco across the road, a chippy, and it’s quite near where I study.
“There’s also enough parking to the side so all our cars are off the road.”
The student said the property is the perfect home to spend time with fellow students.
He said: “This is a lot nicer than the place we rented last year. It’s a little bit more expensive but it is very smart inside.
“There is one bathroom, two toilets and the bedrooms are all what you’d call doubles.
“Besides the kitchen which has a relatively new hob and oven and washing machine, there’s another communal area with a small sofa and a TV.”
Harvey said he and his housemates were looking forward to the warmer weather and sitting out in their very own “pub garden”.
He added: “To be honest the landlord seems alright. Our front door was sticking and that was sorted out quickly enough.”
He explained the house is no different from other properties in the area – including some houses clad in wood and others with charcoal first-floors.
“I don’t know why this one gets singled out,” he said.
Recently property developers came back with new plans to extend the house to the side and create a 7-bedrooms.
Council planners turned down the application on the grounds that there would be insufficient garden space for those living there, but developers have appealed to the Government’s Planning Inspectorate to have the decision overturned.
Harvey added: “I understand people being concerned about it being further extended but I’m only here this year and it won’t be happening then.”
The landlord claimed the property was refurbished to cater to a more modern market.
Roomlets director Harj Minhas told The Sun Online: “We significantly refurbished the property and transformed it into what we believe to be quality student housing.
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“The whole design and colour scheme was aimed at the student market; a very modern and unique house which students would enjoy living in.
“Above all it was meant to be a low maintenance design. It is not uncommon that students would prefer not to maintain the upkeep of a property (i.e mow lawns) but just enjoy it.”
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