Cardiff could be left with a skyline of empty buildings after an ‘oversaturation’ of luxury student flats, a leading architect has said.
BBC News writes:
Plans to create about 7,400 new student rooms have been approved in the city in the past five years. But a number of schemes have since been let to professionals and tourists after a struggle to fill rooms. Jonathan Adams, who designed the Wales Millennium Centre, said the buildings may have to be demolished. Cardiff council said despite a number of applications for new student blocks, the number of beds remained fewer than the student population. BBC analysis showed about 7,400 new rooms, the majority in purpose-built student accommodations (PBSAs), have gained permission or been granted on appeal since 2014. This includes Custom House – a 42-storey student block near Central Station which, if built, would be Wales’ tallest building.
But five developments have changed use to let some rooms to non-students on a temporary basis after developers struggled to fill rooms due to construction delays. Another PBSA in Cathays Park changed permanently to a residential hotel after developers said they could not fill a quarter of the rooms…. With more applying to change use, some schemes not yet built and plans for more student rooms on City Road, there are concerns the city will be left with student rooms that cannot be filled. Mr Adams fears PBSAs will have a limited lifespan and does not believe they have been designed for alternative use.
PBSAs are classed as sui generis, meaning they are treated differently from other types of accommodation and standards for light, space and outside areas are often lower. Mr Adams said this meant converting them into flats was not straightforward and developers could face hefty bills to adapt them. Students taking out loans to afford ‘luxury’ flats
Wales’ tallest building will be built. ‘The problem is they will be dated, they are made cheaply, standards will move on,’ he said….
Last year Cardiff council introduced guidance advising PBSA developers to submit adaptability statements when applying for planning permission – to say how buildings could be changed into hotels or homes. But this is not a statutory requirement and Mr Adams fears the buildings may stand empty in a few years. ‘It could easily be the case that they could all end up being dismantled in 20 to 30 years’ time, or be substantially altered,’ he added. Cardiff Civic Society said the city’s unique identity could be lost to high-rise buildings and student flats. Dr Elaine Davey said: ‘We have wonderful buildings in Cardiff and this is spoiling the city.’
In a bid to drive up standards, the Welsh Government set up the Design Commission for Wales to offer advice to councils. Despite the commission objecting formally – for the first time – to student scheme Bradley Court, which involved the demolition of a Grade II-listed building, the council approved it. The authority said it had detailed policies for the preservation and enhancement of heritage assets and there were a number of cases where buildings had been adapted for alternative use. Traditionally, Cardiff students mostly live in house shares – or Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) – around Cathays and Roath.
But recently, PBSAs have been built, mainly aimed at international students. Some hoped this would free up HMOs for families, but property expert David Feeney, of Cushman and Wakefield, said this was not really happening as rents were too high and the market was ‘oversaturated’. …
Collegiate, who manage Eclipse, said its accommodation was affordable and in high demand, and that the trips and extras it offered helped to support the physical and mental welfare of students…
CRM Students, which manages seven PBSAs in Cardiff, said it had achieved high levels of occupancy across all properties and expected them to be full or nearly full for the start of the academic year….
