​Student housing has reached city limit - Tommy Sheppard

​​Just before Christmas a decision to build a seven-storey block of 191 student flats at Jock’s Lodge got the green light from the Reporter.

Tommy Sheppard MP

The proposal had earlier been rejected by councillors on the city’s planning committee in response to overwhelming local concern about the development.

To my mind, the Reporter’s decision was wrong. Save for expensive court action, there is no way to oppose it. But we need to look at why this decision came about and what needs to happen to prevent similar ones in the years to come.

I opposed the development, as I have pretty much every recent proposal for purpose-built student accommodation. The reason is simple. There are precious few sites in the city centre suitable for new housing development. When we find one priority ought to go to building new flats for people already on the housing list rather than accommodation for those not yet in the city.

When I heard the Reporter’s decision I was ready to complain to government ministers that he had taken the side of developers over local people.

Unfortunately, on reading his report it’s not that simple. The main problem is that the Reporter constantly cites the council’s own policies to undermine the decision of elected councillors.

And that it what urgently needs reviewed. The council’s eight-year-old policy on student accommodation is now hopelessly out of date.

There should now be a clear statement that purpose built student accommodation has reached its limit and a presumption against any further developments.

The most pernicious feature in the Reporter’s judgement is his suggestion that these developments help tackle to problem of student homelessness. No, they won’t. That’s like saying building mansions will help people get out of homeless hostels.

Developers don’t build student flats because they like students. They do it for money, charging £1500 or more a month for a single room.

It’s time to insist that only accommodation owned and run by the universities themselves gets considered. At least that way we can protect against the monstrous rip-off that’s going on.

Tommy Sheppard MP is SNP Scotland & Constitutional Affairs Spokesperson