Administrative Issues Cause Delay in Student Flats Opening

By Ifeyinwa Susan Francis

• The owner of the newly built student accommodation blamed administrative issues for preventing students from moving in. The delay stems from a suspected breach of building regulations.

BBC News reported the issue on August 22, 2025.

The delay has displaced up to 230 students after developers postponed the launch of Deakin’s Yard in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) obtained a high court injunction that blocked anyone from occupying the building. The injunction cited the need to investigate potential regulatory violations.

Adam Jogee, MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, called the delay both a “huge shock” and an “utterly unacceptable situation.” He urged developers and contractors to provide clear explanations.

Mitchell Walsh, a spokesperson for the development, explained that the HSE had not yet issued the final building control certificate, which caused the delay.

“We’re stuck in a bit of an administrative issue,” he told BBC Radio Stoke. “We expected the certificate before the student intake, but that didn’t happen. It feels like a misunderstanding caught us off guard.”

Despite the injunction, Walsh insisted that the building meets all specifications and remains “safe and ready” for students to move in.

He emphasized that factors outside the company’s control caused the delay, and he reaffirmed their goal to open the building in the “short-term future.”

“This is a stressful time for the students and families involved,” Walsh added. “We’re here to support them every step of the way.”

Jogee said: “My constituents – and the students affected – deserve to know who is responsible and how this situation will be resolved.”

Keele University said it is helping affected students and has made on-campus accommodation available.

University officials have urged affected students to contact them directly for support.