As part of a review being carried out by the Conservative-run authority, the council is to look at what powers are available to limit the number of new student accommodation blocks in areas with high concentrations of student housing.
The issue was debated by councillors at a meeting of B&NES Council last Wednesday, 23rd March and will now commit the local authority to looking at whether existing controls on the numbers of houses in multiple occupation (HMO)s in certain parts of the city should be extended more widely; what the right limit should be on the proportion of HMOs in any given area; and whether it is possible for additional measures to be put in place to limit the number of new student accommodation blocks in areas which already have a high density of student housing.
Conservative Councillor, Bob Goodman, (Combe Down), who is leading the Council’s review of student accommodation and HMOs in the city, said: “The proliferation of new student accommodation in Bath has become an increasingly important issue for residents of the city, so it is right that the Council should look at what can be done to better manage the growth and concentration of student accommodation and HMOs in Bath.
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“Not all HMOs are student housing – many are also occupied by graduates and workers, so it’s important we take this into account. The
review we are undertaking will therefore look at how to ensure a high standard of
accommodation for those who live in HMOs, as well the best way to manage the growth in HMO numbers and student accommodation generally.”
Cllr Cherry Beath, (Combe Down, Lib-Dem), tabled a motion on the issue. She said: “I welcome the administration’s willingness to investigate this issue thoroughly and I call on them to do so in a transparent way, involving the community, universities, and all interested parties.”