Councillor calls plans for two large student housing developments in Southampton 'crazy'
The schemes could add 877 student beds, including a 20-storey tower on Millbrook Road East
Plans for two large separate student housing schemes in close proximity to each other have been described as “crazy” by a Southampton city centre councillor.
In the past few weeks, applications have been submitted to Southampton City Council for developments on sites near the central railway station.
If approved, the projects would deliver accommodation for 877 students.
Knightspur Homes Ltd wants to build a 20-storey tower featuring 170 ensuite student studio rooms on land in Millbrook Road East.
Plans for Commercial Point in Commercial Road from Moda Living would see the existing buildings replaced with blocks ranging from six to 18 storeys and 707 bed spaces across cluster and studio flats.
Raising the proliferation of such schemes in the city centre at a recent overview and scrutiny management committee meeting, Cllr Steve Leggett said: “We see the rise of purpose-built student accommodation is what the market seems to demand and there two very large planning applications within literally 300 yards of each other, which does seem crazy.”
The Banister and Polygon ward member added: “It does make you wonder how much control we have over that because developers will look for opportunities and investors will want to invest in sites which give them a good return.”
Cabinet member for economic development Cllr Sarah Bogle said the subject was a “key concern”.
She said the council wanted to get the development that the city needs and not “just whatever” the market dictated.
“It is an issue and we are very cognisant of it,” Cllr Bogle said.
“There are only so many levers we can play because planning policy and the way planning works, particularly any sort of housing, the assumption is that permission will be given, particularly for housing and particularly in the current political time that we are in.”
The committee meeting on Thursday, March 20, was told the council was carrying out a piece of week on student housing need to inform planning decisions.
The levers available to the local authority mainly related to planning policy and dialogue with partners, Cllr Bogle said.
Stephen Haynes, executive director for growth and prosperity, said the council needed to “flip the relationship” with potential investors and developers to explain PBSA was not “the only game in town”.
He added: “We need to get to a place where we are showing and demonstrating progress in activating opportunities.”
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