Counting student accommodation against housing land supply - Public forum - Planning Advisory Service (PAS)

Chichester DC is about to permit an application for student accommodation comprising 77 self-contained 1-bed studios (each containing an open plan kitchen/living and sleeping area) with shower and toilet facility) and 57 individual study bedrooms (each with en-suite toilet and shower room) but grouped to form 12 clusters sharing a communal kitchen/living/dining space.

The PPG says that all student accommodation, whether communal or self-contained, can be included towards the housing requirement, based on the amount of accommodation it releases in the housing market.

Our most recent SHMA highlighted that the growth of the local student population has influenced the dynamics of the housing market in Chichester, increasing pressure on the private rented sector and contributing to escalating rents. So there is a clearly identified need for student accommodation. However, we don't have detailed information on student housing needs or levels of student occupancy in existing housing in the city.

I'm assuming that it is reasonable to count the student accommodation towards our housing supply figures, but I'm not sure what approach to take in estimating how much accommodation it releases in the housing market.

One approach would be to base it on the number of kitchen/communal living facilities provided (i.e 77 self-contained studios + 12 clusters would be equivalent to 89 dwellings).

Another approach would be to divide the total of 134 proposed student bedrooms by a notional average student 'household' size assumed for private rented housing in the city (i.e assuming an average of 4 students per dwelling, the development would be equivalent to c34 dwellings).

Any thoughts or experiences that might be helpful?