Policy information sourced from the Islington Local Plan

H6 Purpose-built Student Accommodation

  • Proposals involving the development, redevelopment and/or intensification of purpose-built student accommodation will only be permitted on
    1. sites allocated for purpose-built student accommodation; or
    2. sites with existing purpose-built existing student accommodation, subject to consistency with other Local Plan policies and additional impacts of development being acceptable; or
    3. a university campus where reconfiguration of the educational floorspace as part of a wider master-planned approach to the higher education providers’ plans for change result in a consolidation of social infrastructure floorspace that complies with Policy SC1, Part E (iii)
  • All proposals involving the development, redevelopment and/or intensification of purpose-built student accommodation must ensure a high standard of amenity for future occupiers of the development and residents in the surrounding area and must meet all the following criteria:
    1. Provide high quality accommodation in line with the relevant policy requirements set out in Policy H4, including the provision of good-sized rooms and communal space. General needs units must be designed to be ‘visitable’ and shared facilities must be accessible. A high level of amenity must be provided, including limiting noise impacts and providing good levels of daylight and sunlight, and natural ventilation;
    2. Ensure that 5% of bedspaces, their associated bathrooms and all common parts are easily adaptable for occupation by wheelchair users;
    3. Ensure that the development is subject to an appropriate site management and maintenance plan;
    4. Demonstrate, through a binding nomination agreement, that the accommodation will only be occupied by students of one or more higher education provider(s). Priority must be given to higher education providers in close proximity to the proposed accommodation in the first instance, then those located elsewhere within the borough;
    5. Temporary use of student accommodation for ancillary uses will be secured via legal agreements/conditions to ensure the potential impacts on the safety, security and privacy of both resident students and wider amenity impacts are managed. The potential cumulative impact on housing supply will be considered and any proposal for temporary use which cannot be demonstrated to be ancillary will be resisted; and
    6. Provide at least 35% affordable student accommodation in line with London Plan Policy H15.
    7. Demonstrates the development contributes to a mixed and inclusive neighbourhood.

For more information please see the Islington Local Plan