Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Space for 610 at Mowbray development
New residence building on Main Road addresses dire lack of student accommodation in Western Cape
A NEW residence building on the corner of Rose Street and Main Road in Mowbray will go some way towards addressing the student housing crisis in the Western Cape.
Nationally, existing student housing can only accommodate about 18 percent of the total number of students enrolled in higher education institutions, according to the Department of Higher Education. There is strong demand for student accommodation across the country and in the Western Cape in particular, with new developments needed to match the growing numbers of students entering tertiary education each year.
“The student housing crisis is often ignored and yet it can play a significant role in the success of students,” says Evert Lategan, managing director of Integrated Solutions, the project construction management company overseeing the development of the new Mowbray building.
“The focus seems always to be on the costs of tuition, books and equipment and though this is a real concern, the issue of student housing and its impact on the ability of students from all communities to study is overlooked. It is not just a matter of cost – if there are too few accommodation units, where are the students supposed to go?”
A 2015 survey by the Times found that there were only just over 68 000 spaces for the more than 140 000 residence applications received in 2015. The survey focused on nine universities in South Africa. The figures reported point to the real crisis, the University of Cape Town could only accommodate 6 600 students in residence accommodation, but had received over 21 000 applications. New student housing developments are therefore vital.
“The reality is that there is just not enough residential space on the UCT campus and precincts to provide suitable accommodation,” says Lategan.
The new CampusKey building, a redevelopment which resulted in the previous video store, movie theatre, editing studio, bar and grocery store being demolished, offers accommodation for 610 students in single rooms.
This new Mowbray development is innovative in its use of space, and provides safe and secure accommodation close to campus and transport nodes, says Lategan.
“As the debate around student fees is once again brought to the fore, the need for student accommodation is often overlooked. The # feesmustfall debate often forgets to incorporate the cost of accommodation for students who live in the outlying areas of Cape Town and further afield. Students struggling to pay university fees cannot afford the daily commuting expenses of living in outlying areas.”
He says these new units are planned for affordability. The central location means lower transport costs, with the building within walking distance of the UCT main campus, about 1 km away. The Jammie shuttle passes the building, offering students an alternative to walk- ing. This can significantly reduce transport costs for students.
Lategan says such redevelopments play a vital role in urban regeneration, often transforming previously neglected buildings. Working closely with city planners, the developers have designed a building that meets the needs of the student tenants while integrating into and uplifting the surrounding community.
Each unit will have a kitchen, Wi-Fi, furnished bed room units and security systems with 24 hour monitoring.
“The security provision is paramount. Parents and students want to be sure they are safe and don’t need to worry about safety while concentrating on their studies,” says Lategan.
In addition to fencing and monitoring of the building, each room will have its own security fingerprint access lock. Other facilities will include gyms, entertainment areas, laundry facilities, bicycle sheds and ample parking with 258 bays spread over three levels.
The 16 000m building on a 4 404m plot has posed its own challenges, says Lategan.
“The site is very restricted and there is very little working space around the building. A tower crane and a mobile crane will be accommodated on site to position the materials and equipment that are needed. The contractors are also making use of temporary lateral support gunite walls to retain the sides of the basement excavation while the concrete retaining walls are being cast.”