Homelessness threat with lack of flats as student numbers rise

SCORES of students claim they are struggling to find places to stay in St Andrews – sparking a homelessness “crisis”.

The university has been contacted by 130 students this week who are facing difficulties securing accommodation ahead of the new term.

The Campaign for Affordable Student Housing (Cash) claims it has heard from hundreds more – about 370 students – who are struggling to get a flat before the academic year starts in September.

The group says its research shows 40% of them are entering their second year at the university and trying to move from student accommodation to private lets. Barry Will, a thirdyear student who helps run Cash, believes a rise in the student population by 1,200 over the last two years has caused the crisis.

He said: “There aren’t enough homes.

“St Andrews is already having a housing crisis but the massive increase in student numbers in the last two years has now just meant that all these students are going to be effectively homeless in just a few weeks’ time.

“It’s been made even worse because the university is mandating all students to return in-person this time, so there’s no option to study online any more.”

It comes as a new 681-bedroom student accommodation block at Albany Park has yet to be built after the old site was knocked down.

In the last academic year, St Andrews University had 10,425 students, an increase of 2,025 from five years ago.

Barry said: “We shouldn’t have been at that number without all the student bedrooms.”

A spokesperson for St Andrews University said: “We sympathise greatly with the stress students have reported flat-hunting in a housing environment that is more highly pressured than ever.

“We are listening to them, and working with our students’ association to find solutions.”

Students demonstrate at the Albany Park site.