Inspector criticises Oxford student home plans
A planning inspector has delivered a major blow to city council plans to control the spread of shared and student housing in Oxford.
Oxford University and Oxford Brookes University have both bitterly opposed “a housing tax” introduced by the council, to make them contribute to social housing as the price of being allowed to build new student accommodation.
The council policy adds significantly to the cost of student homes, with a “social housing charge” of £140 per square metre, plus a five per cent administration charge …