Policy information sourced from The London Plan 2021
H15 Purpose-Built Student Accommodation
- Boroughs should seek to ensure that local and strategic need for purpose-built student accommodation is addressed, provided that:
- at the neighbourhood level, the development contributes to a mixed and inclusive neighbourhood
- the use of the accommodation is secured for students
- the majority of the bedrooms in the development including all of the affordable student accommodation bedrooms are secured through a nomination agreement for occupation by students of one or more higher education provider
- the maximum level of accommodation is secured as affordable student accommodation as defined through the London Plan and associated guidance:
- to follow the Fast Track Route, at least 35 per cent of the accommodation must be secured as affordable student accommodation or 50 per cent where the development is on public land or industrial land appropriate for residential uses in accordance with Policy E7 Industrial intensification, co-location and substitution
- where the requirements of 4a above are not met, applications must follow the Viability Tested Route set out in Policy H5 Threshold approach to applications, Part E
- the affordable student accommodation bedrooms should be allocated by the higher education provider(s) that operates the accommodation, or has the nomination right to it, to students it considers most in need of the accommodation.
- the accommodation provides adequate functional living space and layout.
- Boroughs, student accommodation providers and higher education providers are encouraged to develop student accommodation in locations well-connected to local services by walking, cycling and public transport, as part of mixed-use regeneration and redevelopment schemes.
For more information please see The London Plan 2021