Plea to New Housing Minister on 'Studentification'

3.14.00pm GMT Tue 18th Nov 2008

Liberal Democrat Councillor Shaun McGall (Oldfield) has written to Margaret Beckett MP, the new Minister for Housing, calling on her to carry on the work of her predecessor to give local authorities powers to tackle 'studentification'.

In September the Government had announced a Green Paper which was a step towards finally giving Councils the planning powers to dilute high concentrations of student houses or 'Houses in Multiple Occupation"

(HMOs) in specific areas of their authorities.

Councillor McGall (Oldfield) has been campaigning on this issue for a long time. He commented, "I was delighted when I heard in September that the Government was finally beginning to make moves on the 'studentification' issue. However a Government reshuffle followed and there is always the risk that the initiatives of the previous incumbent may be quietly dropped.

"Councils need the substantive tools to address the development and growth of large clusters of student houses in University towns and cities - as in Oldfield Park in Bath for example - through the planning system. The Government's suggestion of allowing local Councils to use planning restraint policies and 'Use Class Orders' to control concentrations of student houses and to help create more balanced, sustainable communities was therefore most welcome and when implemented will help improve the availability of affordable housing.

"In writing to the new Housing Minister, to call on her to carry on the work on the draft Green Paper on neighbourhood studentification, I hope to get a commitment to this initiative and to the previously proposed timetable. Local Councils have been waiting for the powers to act on 'studentification' for a long time."

ENDS

Notes: Copy of Shaun's letter to the Housing Minister

Margaret Beckett MP

Minister of State for Housing

Communities and Local Government

Eland House

Bressenden Place

London

SW1E 5DU

Dear Mrs Beckett,

Re: "Studentification"

As a Bath Councillor representing a ward with a large student population, I have long been concerned about the lack of control local authorities have over Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) in their area.

I was delighted when your predecessor as Housing Minister, Caroline Flint MP, began work on a Green Paper on this issue, which would give far greater power to the local authorities. It looked, at last, as though this issue was finally being tackled.

I would be grateful if you would inform me whether you intend to continue to work started by the previous Housing Minister, and whether you intend to keep to the same timetable for the Green Paper. Local Councils across the country will be greatly anticipating the power to take proper action on "studentification".

Yours sincerely,

Cllr Shaun McGall

Oldfield Ward, Bath.