Strategy to look at Nottingham's student accommodation

About 61,000 students attended Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham last year

A strategy that claims it will tackle the rising number of students in Nottingham has been unveiled.

Nottingham City Council said the number of students needing accommodation in the city had grown from 40,000 to 51,000 since 2016.

This has resulted in fewer homes available for families, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It comes as an application for 104 student flats in Lower Parliament Street was approved on Wednesday.

The strategy claims it will improve the affordability, quality and location of student accommodation in the city.

As well as the city council, Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham are behind the scheme, which includes a focus on building more purpose-built student accommodation buildings.

The strategy said "benefits in having two world-class universities" can also "create some issues".

About 61,000 students attended both universities last year - and beds for 9,500 more students will be created in the city over the next three years in to meet demand, according to the LDRS.

Councillor Toby Neal at the city council said the strategy would help neighbourhoods from being "overpowered by one group of people".

He added: "Part of the thinking behind this is to change some of the communities. People need to understand that students are an important part of life, as are the residents.

"If you look at the context of why and where [student accommodation is] being built, it's actually part of our longer term strategy to support neighbourhoods."

Public consultation

Both universities add a combined £3.8bn to the economy each year and provide 25,000 jobs in the area, the strategy said.

A rise in students living in private houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) - many of whom are in their second year of studying - has led to a reduction in family homes available in Nottingham, said the LDRS.

Mr Neal said: "There are certain areas in the city which have very high levels of HMOs. In itself, it isn't a problem because they serve different uses.

"But discussions go on about whether there is an over-representation of certain groups, if students in a certain area dominate what goes on."

The strategy will go out to public consultation until 22 March.

Plans for a five-storey student accommodation block above a Poundland store were approved by councillors

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a bid to build a five-storey student block on top of a Poundland store in the city centre was approved.

Sally Longford, portfolio holder for environment, said: "Most Nottingham people will know of this awful, ugly, horrible building, and I really welcome the fact that this is going to be refurbished and they are using the original structure which is obviously more sustainable than knocking it down.

"I do welcome this development. I think it is an ideal place.

"It is an area which leads into the Lace Market, a busy thoroughfare, and does need enhancement and I think it will improve the look of the place a lot."