Company in bid to avoid student flats lying empty
ASECOND developer of student flats wants to be allowed to let its rooms to non-students due to fears of a lack of demand.
The firm that manages the 139room block at 21-27 City Road, Roath, has advised the developer is unable to fill rooms at its other properties because of a lack of demand.
The warning comes as thousands of rooms in purpose-built student flats blocks, which face far lower standards and costs than normal flats, are being applied for and built in Cardiff.
Student blocks are not classed as housing, are cheaper to build, are obliged to have less light and space and construction contributions to councils are usually lower.
In papers going to Cardiff council, management agency CRM students writes: “This year we are operating three other properties in Cardiff and we have found lettings to students to be very competitive and therefore challenging.
“There are a number of beds which remain vacant in the properties which we manage and those of other PBSA. These rooms are likely to remain vacant unless we are able to adopt alternative letting strategies to fill these rooms.
“In an era of shortages of accommodation, we feel an obligation to our clients to advise them to seek alternative occupiers wherever possible, and that we investigate every opportunity to ensure no room remains unlet and opportunities for homes are made available to the non-student market”.
The block on City Road was approved for development in February 2016.
In the last three years in Cardiff, there have been 21 major developments either open, under construction or being considered for permission.
Currently open are Fitzalan Court, The Neighbourhood, Windsor House, Arofan House and Glendower House with more than 1,000 beds.
Others waiting to be built include what would be Wales’ biggest building, a planned 132m building on land on the corner of Customhouse Street and Bute Street in the city centre. It would have rooms for nearly 450 students.
Approval has been granted by planners to another seven buildings totalling 2,696 beds and plans for other developers with thousands more beds are in the pipeline.
In respect of the City Road scheme, the developer Modra said that construction has taken longer than expected and because the flats were not ready for the start of this academic year they have “concerns regarding student uptake post completion”.
Management agency CRM Students said: “Due to the self-contained nature of room types at Livin (studio apartments), we are comfortable that this property is not only suitable for both student and nonstudent occupancy simultaneously, but that it will also be a popular residence with both markets.”
The application to the council concludes: “The proposed temporary use is considered to be appropriate in this location and will ensure that this high quality development does not lay vacant for a period of 12 months until the start of the 20182019 academic year”.
It is not the first application to use student flats for general tenants.
In February, the council agreed that those behind the Eclipse development on Newport Road Lane, Adamsdown, could let out rooms to non-students.
The capacity at Eclipse is 686 bedspaces and the application was for up to 415 rooms to be let to young professionals.
Planning consultants Alder King said that change was due to “uncertainty” about student uptake.