Latest news with #UniteStudents
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Newcastle University's Castle Leazes student halls approved
A new £274m student accommodation complex has been given the go-ahead by Students and Newcastle University received planning permission on Friday for a redevelopment of its Castle Leazes area's recently demolished 1960s student flats will now be replaced by new blocks housing more than 2,000 students and which are expected to open in time for the 2028/29 academic City Council's planning committee approved the plans despite concerns from neighbouring residents about an "overdevelopment" of the area. A spokesperson representing more than 70 households told a civic centre hearing that locals feared the "loss of community, anti-social behaviour and strain on infrastructure".The new Castle Leazes complex, which will be up to nine stories tall, will have 2,009 bedrooms compared with the previous 1, Local Democracy Reporting Service said objectors warned the development, which also features a gym, café, cinema room and study space, could bring more noise, congestion and light pollution to the arguing that a new fenced pathway across Leazes Moor to Richardson Road could "fundamentally alter" the unique green space, they wanted the plans redrawn and downsized. However, university chiefs argued the move was needed to address a shortfall in accommodation, which it guarantees to all first year students, and would ease pressure on other Collins, the university's chief financial officer, said the redevelopment was "a key part of our strategy to enhance the student experience by providing high-quality student accommodation in accessible locations. "It allows us to attract students to the city who provide significant economic value and vibrancy to the city."Labour councillor Dan Greenhough, cabinet member for economy, jobs and skills, said the project will "support about 320 jobs over the four years, which is also great for the city's economy".He added: "Our universities make a huge contribution to the economic and social life of our city and this major investment in new accommodation will strengthen that." Follow BBC Newcastle on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Glasgow Times
12-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Mike Dailly: Scottish housing Bill lacks substance
Student loans aren't enough to live on. Accommodation costs can be prohibitive. The cheapest option is a bedroom in a shared private rented sector (PRS) flat. In Glasgow, that will cost £350 to £500 per month, excluding bills. The student loan works out at £700 per month. The average rent for university halls of residence is £632 per month, inclusive of electricity/gas. That's pricey but not as costly as 'purpose build student accommodation' (PBSA). These are the sparkly buildings that have sprang up across the city over recent years. A room in a shared PBSA flat in Woodlands (bills included) is £1,135 per month, or £13,624 for 51 weeks. An en-suite bedroom in an upmarket PBSA flat in Partick will set you back £1,377 per month, or £16,524 per annum. Double occupancy comes in at £23,317. Two questions: who owns these properties and who can afford them? Unite Students is the largest owner, manager and developer of PBSA in the UK. It provides homes to 68,000 students across 152 properties in 23 university towns and cities. The Unite Group, which trades as Unite Students, was founded in 1991 and is listed on the London Stock Exchange's FTSE 100. In 2020, Unite bought its competitor, Liberty Living, for £1.4 billion. The target rental group is clearly international students looking for high-quality, well-managed properties to rent whilst at university. The PBSA sector has led a privileged life – excluded from the laws and regulations that apply to PRS landlords in Scotland. That was until last week. Conservative, Labour and Green MSPs on the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee successfully voted to end the paragraph 5, Schedule 1 exemption for PBSA landlords in the 2016 Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act. The Scottish Government will no doubt try to reverse this at the final stage 3 consideration of the Housing (Scotland) Bill. However, without the Greens or the Lib Dems, they won't have the numbers. I welcome removal of the exemption but it's fair to say the Bill itself is fairly timid and more about tinkering than much else. If the Bill was a sandwich, its filling would be lettuce. Indeed, as rent control legislation is about open market rents, it's entirely feasible that a rent officer or tribunal would conclude PBSA rents are generally fair, having regard to the type of accommodation in the local PBSA market. The Housing Bill is one of those pieces of legislation that talks the talk but doesn't do much walking. It needs to do much more. It seeks to reform rent pressure zones (RPZ) in the 2016 Act. There has never been a RPZ in Scotland. Local authorities would be required to carry out an assessment of rent conditions in their area and make a recommendation about whether Scottish Ministers should impose rent controls in all or part of the area. There would be a mandatory requirement for local authorities to re-assess conditions in relation to rent on a cyclical basis. To put it another way, pencils would be sharped pointlessly and then set aside. At present, a landlord can do one rent increase every 12 months. The Bill proposes that there should be no rent increases within the first year. That seems sensible. And that's about it.
BBC News
19-02-2025
- General
- BBC News
Bristol students have to use pots and pans to shower after faults
Dozens of students living at a newly built accommodation block in central Bristol say they have been living with intermittent hot water since October. The issues have affected Campbell House, managed by Unite Students, on behalf of the University of Bristol. About 400 students live there."I'm decanting boiling water from the kettle to dilute with the cold water coming from the shower to wash my hair," said resident Hannah a joint statement, Unite Students and the University of Bristol said they were sorry for the disruption, and were offering financial compensation to those affected. The students living there pay £9,272 for a ten month Students has offered them £4 a day compensation for the period of disruption, which it says began from December company advised them in an email in January: "Hot water can be obtained by boiling your cold water in your you know flats with hot water access, or have hot water yourself, consider asking to use/offering showers to your friends."It later said limescale in the system has prevented water from flowing through the pipes, and the problem would not be resolved for another four weeks as damaged parts need replacing."We have a big Instagram group chat and if someone notices there's warm water they'll let everyone know, then there's a big race to get in the shower before all the hot water goes," Ms Reid said. "We haven't been able to wash our hands properly, and when people are cooking with raw chicken it's difficult to clean," she added. Sarah Dawelbeit told the BBC she felt students had been "catfished" by the building's features like an on-site gym and cinema room."That stuff is all really nice and that's what drove us to move here, but I feel like they've used that to bring in customers but not actually offered the basics," she said."I know some people have bought gym memberships to use the showers. "I've missed lectures because I've woken up and the hot water was on and I thought 'just shower now'."Ms Dawelbeit has chosen to move out, but is on a waiting list with no guarantee of a new room. In a joint statement, Unite Students and University of Bristol said: "We're aware that some residents at Campbell House have reported experiencing intermittent issues with hot water, primarily in the evenings. "We're very sorry for the disruption and inconvenience this issue has caused, which is below the standards we strive to uphold."The issue is the result of a developing fault in the new water heating system. "The suppliers have implemented a number of temporary fixes since this issue was first reported and have been working hard to identify the cause, which has been a complex process. "Further repair works have begun this week. We hope this will resolve the issue, but we'll continue to monitor the situation closely."
