Student properties

The request was successful.

Dear Exeter City Council,

I've been reading in the news that there are lots of new plans for student properties to be built, and with that regard, I'd very much appreciate it if you could let me know:

-How much council housing is planned to be built, in proportion to student housing?
-The proportion of student homes versus properties registered for council tax, in Pennsylvania, St James, and St David's?
-A list of planned student properties

Thank you very much in advance,
Alex Seabrook

Exeter City Council

Thank you for your request for information.  I will arrange for a response
to be issued as soon as possible.  If you have any queries about the
progress of your request, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please note that information relating to schools, education, trading
standards, social care (e.g. care homes) and highways is held by Devon
County Council and your request should be re-directed to them.  Their
contact details are as follows:

Information Compliance Manager
Strategic Intelligence
Room L10
County Hall
Topsham Road
Exeter
EX2 4QD
Telephone: 01392 384679
Email: [1][email address]

Kind regards
FOI Officer
for Corporate Manager, Policy, Communications and Community Engagement
Exeter City Council
Civic Centre
Exeter     EX1 1JN
Tel: 01392 277888
email: [2][Exeter City Council request email]

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[Exeter City Council request email]

Bainbridge, Carrie-Anne, Exeter City Council

1 Attachment

Thank you for your request for information.

 

I attach a report to the Council's Planning Member Working Group on 21
June that identifies at appendix one committed and potential future
purpose-built student accommodation. Appendix Three is also a schedule of
Council Tax exemptions and proportion of properties for the old St James
ward and the parts of the old St David's and Pennsylvania wards that the
Council monitors.

 

Your first question is more difficult to address since you do not specify
a period. You also refer to 'Council Housing' while most affordable
housing for those unable to compete in the open market now comes forward
through registered social landlords.

 

There are two elements in the question, student accommodation and Council
housing.

The university has in the recent past grown by about 250 students per
annum. If they are not accommodated in purpose built student accommodation
they are likely to live in shared student houses in popular student areas
further imbalancing communities and increasing housing demand and costs
for the market stock. If more than about 250 bed spaces is provided per
annum then  Council Tax exemptions and imbalance in local communities and
general pressure on the market housing stock may decline. It should be
noted that 250 bed spaces is not 250 homes, while some bed spaces are
individual studios that constitute a home for Government statistical
purposes, others are in cluster flats that are often 6-8 bed spaces per
'home'.

 

The Council's core strategy identifies an objectively assessed need to
provide about 600 homes in Exeter per annum. A significant proportion of
this would be affordable housing. Due to funding restrictions, the Council
is largely limited to securing 'Section 106 agreement' affordable housing
where private developers provide a proportion (normally 35%) of homes as
affordable on large sites. Assuming about 500 homes per annum are on large
sites that might suggest about 175 homes per annum may be affordable,
however, Government is in the process of changing affordable housing
requirements and individual negotiations have to reflect developer
viability. Past annual rates of affordable housing provision have been
about 100-150 pa.

 

Exeter City Council is committed to openness and transparency.  If you
wish to request a review of either our decision, or the way your request
has been handled, please write to the Council's Corporate Manager at the
address below.  Your request will be considered in line with our Review
Procedure.  Full details of this procedure, including your right of appeal
to the Information Commissioner, are available in our access to
information policy
([1]http://exeter.gov.uk/council-and-democra...)

 

Kind regards

 

Policy Officer

For Corporate Manager (Policy, Communications and Community Engagement)

Exeter City Council

Civic Centre

Paris Street

Exeter

EX1 1JN

 

Email: [2][Exeter City Council request email]

 

 

show quoted sections