With the decision on the number of new homes that will have to be built in Bath and North-East Somerset looming, Bath MP Don Foster has called into question the Government policy that means new student housing can’t be counted towards the target. He is being support by the Liberal Democrat group on Bath and North-East Somerset Council, with group leader Cllr Paul Crossley having co-signed a letter to Hazel Blears MP.

Currently 18,800 homes are requested as part of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), but that looks set to rise, possibly to over 20,000, as the Government announce the target within the next 10 days.

Commenting, Don said, “It makes no sense that if we build new purpose built student accommodation for our large and expanding universities that it shouldn’t be able to count towards this target.

I am not asking for a 1:1 ratio to be applied, but if every 4 student rooms was classified as one house then it would seem fair. After all, having students in purpose built accommodation will help to free up houses in the most affordable areas of our community.”

Cllr Andy Furse (Lib Dem, Kingsmead) recently called on the Council to look in to their policy on student housing. He said, “In Bath and North-East Somerset we desperately need to improve the provisions for student accommodation. The Government wants affordable housing, and by moving students to purpose built accommodation we can free this space up. However, the Government seems to have no interest in helping us achieve this when it won’t allow student housing to count as part of the RSS.”

Cllr Shaun McGall (Lib Dem, Oldfield) said, “We need to ensure a sustainable balance with in communities. Currently residents cannot have a say about the use of new development. Government and the local Council need to work to ensure that residents can have a say about development in their area.”