Student Housing Issues Paper - Citizen Space...Student Housing Guidance for consultation on ... (2010), students at the main universities in Edinburgh have an estimated expenditure

Student HousingIssues Paper16 March - 24 April 2015

Page 3March April 2015

Contents

Issues Paper - Student Housing 4

Introduction 4

Whyweareconsulting 4

Growthinfurthereducation 4

Purpose-builtstudentaccommodation 4

Studentpopulationtrends 5

Studentconcentration&distribution 7

Impactofstudents 9

Contact 12

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Page 4 March - April 2015

IntroductionThis issues paper presents background researchon student housing. It asks for your views toinform a revision in how the Council managesthe housing requirements of the city’s growingnumberofstudents.Itspecificallyasksaboutthesupportgivento:

the growth of learning in the city,

meeting needs through purpose-built student accommodation; and

how this accommodation is distributed across the city.

Question 1: Do you feel that the Council should continueto support the growth of further and highereducationinEdinburgh?

Pleaseprovideareasonforyouranswer

Why we are consultingTheCouncil’sStudentHousingGuidanceisbeingreviewed to take on board the growth in thenumberofstudentsinthecity.Thisissuespaperpresents background research and asks for yourviews to inform the preparation of revised draftStudent Housing Guidance for consultation onpurpose-builtstudenthousingwithinthecity.

Growth in further educationEdinburgh’s universities and colleges, and thestudentsthatattendthem,playamajorpartintheeconomyandlifeofthecity.TheCouncilsupportsthegrowthoflearningandhighereducationinthecity and recognises higher education as one ofthekeysectorsincontributingtothestrengthofEdinburgh’seconomy.

Purpose-built student accommodationArelativelysmallproportionofstudents liveathomewiththeremainderlivingineitherpurpose-built student accommodation or private rentedhouses and flats. Those students choosingprivatetenanciestendtoprefersharedtenanciesin large flats in the more central tenementareas of the city. This can lead to the loss offamily housing, a high turnover of population,properties leftvacant for longperiodsover thesummerand,asaresult,alessstablecommunity.

TheCouncilprefersthatstudentneedsaremetas far as possible in purpose-built schemes. Itisadifferenttypeofaccommodationtogeneralhousing as it always has an element of careprovided and the accommodation is activelymanaged. Some are run by private companiesandothersmanagedeitherdirectlyoronbehalfof the universities. Design and layout can varywith some providing individual rooms withen-suite facilities and common kitchen andliving areas and others provide a more typicalresidential layout. Provision can take place athigher densities as it requires less car parkingandopenspace.Provisionlowerstheamountoffamilyhousingtakenupbystudentsandreducestheimpactoncommunities.

a) The location is appropriate in terms of access to public transport and university and college facilities; and

b) The proposal will not result in an excessive concentration of student accommodation in any one locality

(StudentHousingplanningguidance2010)

Question 2: Do you feel that the Council should continueto support the development of purpose-builtstudenthousing?

Pleaseprovideareasonforyouranswer.

AtthemomenttheCouncilsupportspurpose-builtstudentaccommodationwhere:

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Student population trendsThenumberoffulltimestudentsattheUniversityof Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier University andHeriot-Watt University has increased by 26.4%from34,615in2001/2002to43,740in2013/2014(HigherEducationStatisticsAgency).Thenumberof students in Edinburgh as a percentage of thetotal population, based on the 2011 census, is12.1%.

The total number of students does notautomaticallytranslateintodemandforpurpose-built accommodation, as a large majority ofstudents either choose to stay at home, live inprivately rented shared accommodation or areowner occupiers. This, and the relative lack ofpurpose-built student accommodation, has ledtothehistoric tendencyforstudentstogravitatetowards the general housing stock, whichcontinuetofuelthedemandforHousesinMultipleOccupationlicences(HMOs).

Future trends in student numbers are difficult toproject.Thereareanumberoffactorsthatcouldinfluencethis,includingtheeconomy,tuitionfees,online learning, and overall university funding.Giventhenumberofuncertainties,itisnotpossibletoestimatethedemandforpurpose-builtstudentaccommodation.Nevertheless,asuniversitiesarerequiredtoprovideaccommodationtoallfirstyearstudents,thereisa‘need’.

Map 1 shows the distribution of operationalstudentaccommodationinthecitycentre.Todate,a total of 13,049 bedspaces are currently beingsupplied in new private and university providedpurpose-built student accommodation. A further

6,183 bedspaces are proposed, have planningpermissionorareunderconstruction.Therefore,atpresent,only29.8%ofthetotalstudentpopulationisbeinghousedinpurpose-builtaccommodation.Ifallofthelivepermissionsareimplemented,thisfigurecouldincreaseto44%.

Current student population in each accommodation type

70,000

60,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

0

Development pipeline (applications, consents, under consentruction)General HousingPrivate let purpose built accommodationUniversity managed accommodation

Num

ber

of s

tude

nts

Graph based on 2011 census data for total student population.


Map 1: Operational student accommodation.

Page 7March - April 2015

Map 2a: Student concentration by data zone using 2001 census data.

Map 2b: Student concentration by data zone using 2011 census data.

Student concentration and distributionAs ‘demand’ and ‘need’ for purpose-builtaccommodation are difficult to quantify, theCouncil’s approach to date has been to considerwhetherthereisanissueofstudentconcentrationinparticularlocations.Since2001,therehasbeenanoticeableincreaseinconcentrationofstudentslivinginandaroundthecitycentreandexpansionintoLeithandalongwesternarterialroutes.Thesechanges reflect the overall increase in numberof students and HMO licences, the opening ofEdinburgh Napier University’s Sighthill campusand the development of new purpose-builtaccommodation in Fountainbridge and Leith.Themajority of students housed in the more recentpurpose-built accommodation developments,assessed using the 2010 guideline, are notincludedinthe2011censusrecords.

The most densely concentrated areas are in thecitycentre,locatedwithinwalkingdistanceoftheGeorge Square campus. Map 2a uses the 2001censusdatatoshowfulltimestudents(ages16+)as a percentage of the total population. Theseare split into data zones which are fixed smallareas,createdfromcensusoutputareas.Map2bpresentsthe2011censusdata.

Since 2010 when the guideline was approved,therehavebeen30studenthousingapplicationsgrantedormindedtogrant,totalling7,338beds.Two applications were refused by the Councilon the grounds of over-concentration – LuttonCourtandCaltonRoad.TheapplicationatLuttonCourthassincebeenallowedatappeal(although


Student Housing - Issues Paper

currentlysubjecttoalegalchallenge).TheReporterconsidered its location as adjacent to a campusandconcludedthattheproposalwouldnotresultinanexcessiveconcentration.

Map 3 shows the distribution of city centredevelopmentsassessedusingthe2010guideline.The guideline has been effective in directingdevelopment to campuses, whilst supporting itinmoreperipheralbutaccessible locations,suchas Gorgie/Dalry and Abbeyhill. By consistentlyapplying a numerical approach, which requiresthe inclusion of information relating to generalhousingandstudentbedspaces,ithasenabledalargeproportionofgeneralhousingtobesecuredon some of the larger sites, like Fountainbridge.In doing so, it has acted as a tool in promotingbalancedandmixedcommunities.Map3suggeststhat the Fountainbridge data zones exceed the30% threshold - this is because, whilst some ofthestudentdevelopment isnowcomplete,muchof the residential development is yet to be fullyimplemented.

Question 3: Should the revised guidance identify preferredsitesforpurpose-builtstudentaccommodation?


Map 3: Student housing developments by number of beds and planning status since August 2010.



Impact of studentsDespite the often negative perceptions ofstudents, there are many positive factors alliedto this group. According to a report prepared bythe Council’s Economic Development Service(2010), students at the main universities inEdinburghhaveanestimatedexpenditureofupto£372.4millionandprovidethelabourmarketwithan estimated 20,307 extra employees. Having alargerproportionofthestudentpopulationlivingawayfromhomeyieldsgreateraddedvaluetotheeconomyofthecity.In2008,15.8%ofstudentsinEdinburghlivedathome,comparedtoamedianof30.5%forthe62UKuniversitycities.

Therefore,itisrecognisedthatthereisaneedformorestudenthousingand,asstatedintheexistingguidance, it is preferable that student needs aremetas faraspossible inpurpose-builtmanagedschemes.Thisisbecausesuchdevelopmentscanhelp:

2010 16complaintsabout7purpose-builtstudentproperties(10,522totalcomplaints)




Question 4:

Shouldstudent‘needs’bemetasfaraspossibleinwellmanagedpurpose-builtstudentaccommodation?


Question 5:

Doyoubelievethatpurpose-builtstudentaccommodationisaffordableforstudentsand/orhelpsaddresstheoverallneedforplacesforstudentstolive?Ifnot,doyouthinktheCouncilshouldconsiderrevisingitsapproachtotryandensurethatstudentaccommodationismoreaffordable?

reduce the need for further conversion and use of family housing stock, although it is important to note that HMOs do provide for a range of housing needs, not solely for students;

create sustainable locations for student housing which reduce the need for travel where students are located on or adjoining campuses or close to local services and shops; and

provide a stock of well-managed and secure environments, which minimise the impact on amenity for other households in the neighbourhood. The table below shows that since 2010, there have been a negligible number of noise complaints received by the Council.

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ThecriteriainECLPPolicyHou10andLDPPolicyHou 8 are currently being applied to proposalsforstudenthousingusingthelocationalguidancesetoutintheexistingguidanceandapercentagethreshold of 30% outwith University campuslocations.

The current guidance requires proposals to beaccompanied by a planning statement justifyingthe suitability of the location for purpose-builtstudent housing. Such statements are requiredto use the Council’s concentration calculationtable (Table 1). The Council holds the followinginformation, which is required to complete thetable:

Population figures for each data zone*

A schedule of planning applications for student accommodation and general housing development. This includes information on their status (i.e. proposal of application notice, pending consideration, granted, minded to grant) and if permission has been implemented.

Housing Land Audit - includes housing sites under construction and completed and sites in the adopted local plans.

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* The 2011 census data showing 16+ full-time students as a percentage of the total population should be used as a starting point in the assessment. As 17 year olds comprised 10.7% or 1,150 of the new intake for all Edinburgh universities in 2012, data for 16-24 is used in the assessment calculation.

Question 6:

Shouldwecontinuetousea30%thresholdorintroducedifferentthresholdstoreflecttherolesofdifferentareas?


Question 7:

Onlargersites,shouldtheCouncilberequiringaproportionofgeneralhousingaspartoftheproposeddevelopment?


Table 1: Student concentration calculation table

Student Housing ConcentrationData Zone

2011 total Census population for the Data Zone*2011Student Census population for the Data Zone*2011Student Census population as a percentage of total population (%)Number of additional student bed spaces completed after 2011** 0.00Number of additional student bed spaces in the pipeline after 2011*** 0.00Number of additional general housing units completed after 2011** 0.00Number of additional general housing units in the pipline after 2011*** 0.00Local household size for each Data Zone *Total number of additional projected general housing occupants 0.00Total number of additional general housing occupants after 2011 0.00Total number of additional student bed spaces in the Data Zone after 2001 0.00Proposed number of student bed spaces****Overall total student population in the Data Zone since 2001 plus proposed number

0.00

Overall total student and general housing population since 2001 0.00Total proposed student population as a percentage of the overall total population (student and general housing) (%)

*Information obtained from Table 1 **Figure calculated from development which has now been completed since 2011 ***Figure calculated from development which is still under construction, pending determination or the pre- application process since 2011 and includes Local Plan Allocations for Housing **** Number of student bed spaces being proposed by the applicant

Formulas inserted into the cells



This consultation exercise aims to be inclusiveof relevant interests and to support a betterunderstanding of the issues relating to thedevelopmentofstudenthousinginthecity.

Question 8:

Doyouagreewiththenumericalmethodologycurrentlybeingusedtocalculatestudentconcentration?


Question 9:

Arethereotherissues,whichrevisedplanningguidanceshouldaddress?




Further Informationcanbefoundat

https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/studenthousing

Ifyourequireanyfurtherinformationorclarificationafterreadingthisdocument,pleasevisitourwebsiteat

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/planning

orcontactthePlanningHelpdeskon01315293571

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Student Housing Issues Paper - Citizen Space...Student Housing Guidance for consultation on ... (2010), students at the main universities in Edinburgh have an estimated expenditure