Agenda item

14.1

It was formally moved by Councillor Douglas Johnson, and formally seconded by Councillor Robert Murphy, that this Council:-

(a)       notes the report to Cabinet on 18 December 2013 on the Student Accommodation Strategy that warned of the risk that the provision of more purpose-built student accommodation will lead to over-supply and older blocks falling empty;

(b)       notes that the Council’s planning policy CS41 on “Creating mixed communities” requires a mix of tenures and sizes in large blocks of student accommodation and seeks to avoid over-saturation of student accommodation;

(c)        however, notes that many recent planning applications for very large blocks of student accommodation have been passed even where not complaint with policy CS41; and

(d)       therefore calls on the Administration to carry out an urgent re-assessment of the supply of and demand for student accommodation.

14.2

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Ben Curran, and formally seconded by Councillor Moya O’Rourke, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraphs (c) and (d) and the addition of new paragraphs (c) to (f) as follows:-

(c)        notes that planning decisions are taken by the Planning and Highways Committee or by officers acting under delegated authority and, therefore, are not in the control of the Council’s Executive;

(d)       notes that planners must make decisions in line with the National Planning Policy Framework which encourages purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA);

(e)       notes the Administration’s commitment to using the Local Plan to ensure local policy is tightened up in this area; and

(f)        endorses the Administration’s aim that as a requirement of the new Local Plan, all new PBSA developments are capable of conversion to residential accommodation, thereby adding flexibility to the market.

14.3

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

14.4

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)       notes the report to Cabinet on 18 December 2013 on the Student Accommodation Strategy that warned of the risk that the provision of more purpose-built student accommodation will lead to over-supply and older blocks falling empty;

(b)       notes that the Council’s planning policy CS41 on “Creating mixed communities” requires a mix of tenures and sizes in large blocks of student accommodation and seeks to avoid over-saturation of student accommodation;

(c)        notes that planning decisions are taken by the Planning and Highways Committee or by officers acting under delegated authority and, therefore, are not in the control of the Council’s Executive;

(d)       notes that planners must make decisions in line with the National Planning Policy Framework which encourages purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA);

(e)       notes the Administration’s commitment to using the Local Plan to ensure local policy is tightened up in this area; and

(f)        endorses the Administration’s aim that as a requirement of the new Local Plan, all new PBSA developments are capable of conversion to residential accommodation, thereby adding flexibility to the market.

14.4.1

(NOTE: The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Magid Magid) and Councillors Douglas Johnson, Robert Murphy and Alison Teal voted for paragraphs (a), (b) and (f) of the Substantive Motion, and abstained from voting on paragraphs (c) to (e) of the Motion, and asked for this to be recorded.)