Have we reached saturation point?
The notion that key university towns are reaching “saturation point” with student homes, is becoming something of a recurrent issue in the regional press. However, according to research conducted by Student rentals platform, Studenttenant.com, demand for student accommodation is exceeding availability. David Campbell of Alumno dispels the growing mythology surrounding developing student accommodation and looks at the facts.
The Financial Times recently reported that the past two years has seen record investments into purpose-built student accommodation, meanwhile, consultancy firm EY has proposed that approximately nine university towns have reached or are nearing “saturation point”. It seems that not a week goes by when some large international investment company hasn’t committed millions of pounds in a UK portfolio of student housing. Equally there have been a good number of regional news stories quoting local residents’ unease at yet another student housing development in their neighbourhood …