Private PBSA (Purpose Built Student Accommodation)

Student housing is a difficult subject. The unfortunate reality is students living in private PBSA (purpose built student accommodation) often complain about the costs and face bills in the region of £700 or £800 a month a room - even full-time workers would struggle with these costs, let alone students who are only able to work part-time or at all, during their degrees.

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Another unfortunate reality is that these private PBSA developers are not interested in providing the housing our capital City really needs because they are driven by profit margins, not public service; and so, they want to push to build PBSA ad infinitum – even when they know everyone else in the community with housing needs are being excluded, including students who are married and/or have children.

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Housing Activism is campaigning against private PBSA because we are concerned that these developments are being prioritised over sustainable, genuinely affordable accommodation, which could be open to both students and non-students. We believe students also need and desire affordable, habitable, rent-controlled housing. Another reason, is we are sick to the back teeth of private PBSA developers targeting Edinburgh when we desperately need more affordable housing.

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Housing Policies

Here are some of our policy ideas that we believe will go a long way in addressing some of the PBSA issues.

 

Private PBSA (Purpose Built Student Accommodation)

As the current planning policy states, local authorities should seek an affordable housing contribution from developers of new housing developments of a certain size, where there is a shortage of affordable housing in the area, but this does not apply to PBSA, therefore, private PBSA developers are able to charge high rents without having to provide any affordable housing within their developments.

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One area of policy we believe needs to be urgently addressed is private PBSA developers should have to supply a percentage of affordable housing units within their developments, or make a financial contribution towards affordable housing development in the public or social sector as with any other type of housing. To require new developments of PBSA should include provision for affordable student housing amounting to 25% of the total.

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PBSA providers should reinvest a proportion of profit into student wellbeing and mental health, and prioritise student and community needs over greater profits.

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There should be also a much lower limited cap on PBSA development, especially in Edinburgh.

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Build More Public and Social Housing 

Accelerate the building of more public and social housing, rent it out for affordable prices for public benefit. This will undercut the private rental sector and address the wealth and equality gap. Underused derelict land and brownfield sites should be developed where possible, with the developer financing any land remediation works where feasible.​