New Report Tackles Neighbourhood 'Studentification' Problem

To coincide with the start of a new term for university and college students across Britain, a report that identifies ways to help councils manage high concentrations of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) was published by Housing and Planning Minister Caroline Flint today.

'Studentification' of university towns is a real concern especially during the summer months when neighbourhoods are left dormant because too many properties (Houses in Multiple Occupation, HMOs) in one area are rented to groups of students.

For example students from Queens University, Belfast typically live within a mile of campus and make up more than half of all households in the area with some streets exclusively occupied by students.

The independent research sets out a series of cross cutting measures that could tackle and stop the complex causes and symptoms of concentrated student neighbourhoods. The measures include new planning mechanisms and the widespread adoption of a number of the best common sense local solutions that can be easily adopted.

Housing and Planning Minister, Caroline Flint said: "It is not acceptable that current rental practices allow unplanned student enclaves to evolve to such an extent that local communities are left living as ghost towns following the summer student exodus.

"Today's report has identified a series of proven steps councils and universities can take to reduce the dramatic effects of 'studentification' where Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) cluster too closely together."

"I also want to consider further how the planning proposals might help councils change term time only towns into properly planned towns that blend the student populations into well mixed neighbourhoods that are alive all year round."

There are clear economic benefits from student populations. They make a significant contribution to sustaining and regenerating communities. But their dramatic growth in recent years has seen this type of housing problem increase because students typically group together to rent properties.

(JM)