New student housing ban possible
Options for bringing in a ban on the development of new student accommodation units In Edinburgh are set to be brought before councillors later this year
City officers have been asked to explore options for a ban on controversial purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) projects, and present them to the city's Planning Committee in September for a decision.
A majority of councillors backed the motion calling for a ban to be explored, which was proposed by SNP councillor Danny Aston. But 10 opposed it, with one saying a ban would be 'premature'.
At the meeting, Cllr Aston said: 'It seems to me that developers aren't taking the changing circumstances into account.
'My concern is that if the council doesn't step in as the state body responsible as the planning authority to rein in the market here, our city may be left disfigured by white elephant PBSA developments that no-one wants.'
PBSA projects often draw significant protest from the communities they are built in. One recent development in Jock's Lodge, which went on to be approved, drew over 1,000 public objections.
Opponents say that PBSA projects add strain to, and harm the character of, local communities, as well as taking up development space for housing for the wider public.
Additionally, the rents in the developments are often higher than students can find on the private residential market, with rooms in shared flats within Edinburgh PBSA developments often starting at £800 or £900 per month.
But PBSA developments are rarely pushed back by councillors. They are usually compliant with planning regulations, which means there is often no legitimate reason for them to be rejected.
Glasgow City Council had its own moratorium on PBSA developments between 2019 and 2021, with new projects still effectively banned in parts of the city by planning regulations.
Conservative councillor Joanna Mowat filed an amendment that said a ban should not be implemented now.
Instead, it says that any decision on restricting student housing should be made as a part of creating the city's new Local Development Plan, which must be implemented by May 2026.
She told the council on Thursday: 'The main point of this is that we are going through a process to look at student housing, examining those numbers. And I think that whilst that is being undertaken, it's premature to ask for a moratorium.'
'The reality is we are supposed to have this information later this year, and I think asking planners to do another report into this, at this point, when they're undertaking that work for the new Local Development Plan is overburdening them.
'I think the points Cllr Aston makes are good ones, but I just want to try and get what we need to do done rather than having extraneous reports that I think will be difficult to accomplish.'
Councillors voted for Cllr Aston's motion over Cllr Mowat's amendment by 46 to 10, with the Conservative group voting against the motion.
By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter
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