Kamloops council has given the first two readings to a bylaw amendment that would allow Thompson Rivers University to almost double the number of units per hectare on a property in College Heights, just off Summit Drive.

A new four-storey, 80-unit student residence with 148 beds is set to open this fall, making it a total of 224 units on the 3.4 hectare property.

TRU Vice President of Administration, Matt Milovick, says if the rezoning is approved, the university will be able to build a maximum of 475 units on site, instead of the 255 allowed under current zoning regulations.

“The intent is to really densify that site for affordable student housing,” he said.

“Its all going to be student housing and there may be different configurations as we think about a third building there where we may put apartments in for family housing. We do have apartments in the existing buildings right now so we have to look at the inventory is and what we anticipate the needs to be.”

The rezoning will be going to a public hearing in the future.

It will also need approval from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure before it can be adopted by the City.