Housing for Shrewsbury university students put under spotlight
No restrictions will be imposed on the development of student housing serving a new university unless evidence of a problem surfaces.
A number of measures have been recommended by a Shropshire Council task and finish group designed to prevent issues relating to an increase in the number of student houses in Shrewsbury following the opening of University Centre Shrewsbury.
A database of houses of multiple occupation (HMO) will be created that will allow the authority to monitor the amount and any complaints that arise.
The authority will also create a student accommodation mark and a specific planning document to guide the development of HMOs in the town.
Consultants had been asked to look at whether the council could impose an article four direction, which would mean anyone wishing to set up an HMO, would require planning permission. Currently anyone wishing to create an HMO does not need specific planning permission if its for fewer than six people.
Speaking at a meeting of Shropshire Council's cabinet at Shirehall yesterday Councillor Dean Carroll, a member of the task and finish group for student accommodation, said they had considered an article four direction but were of the opinion it would not stand up to a legal challenge.
He said: "We have gone through a process, we are building up a collection of evidence, we could not do any more than we have done without facing a legal challenge because we do not have a problem as it stands. Hopefully we will never have to go forward with these measures."
Councillor Mal Price urged people to focus on the positive aspects of the university and said any problems will be swiftly addressed.
He said: "Do we want a university in Shropshire? Everyone I speak to says 'yes'. That is the first positive. Do we want to deal with any potential problems in future? Yes we do, that's why we set up the task and finish group which has gone away and done everything we said it would.
"If we put an article four direction on the town centre without any valid reason then we can be legally challenged. That has been made quite clear to us."
Concerns have been raised over potential "studentification" of areas of Shrewsbury by Castlefields councillor Alan Mosley.
He again urged the council to reconsider imposing an article four restriction.
He said: "There must be controls to prevent studentification and we should attempt to put them in place sooner rather than later."
