Student flats set to become temporary accommodation

Temporary housing is expected to cost the council £17m this financial year

Student flats in Bristol city centre are set to be converted into temporary accommodation to help people at risk of becoming homeless.

Bristol City Council is planning to convert 10 flats with 34 bedrooms into temporary housing.

There are more than 1,400 households in temporary accommodation in Bristol at the moment, with figures rising.

The council has a legal duty to help people who are homeless and vulnerable, but increasing demand for temporary housing means there is a shortage of supply.

The cabinet is expected to approve the £980,000 plan to purchase and refurbish the flats during a public meeting on 9 April.

Temporary housing is expected to cost the council £17m this financial year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The location has not been announced but the student flats are expected to save the council about £237,000 a year.

Bristol’s student population is forecast to increase from 64,400 in 2021 to 85,400 by 2034, according to property experts CBRE.

Nearly 10,000 student beds are already under construction, while over the past decade the number of students going to Bristol University and UWE has increased by more than 10,000.