Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1335. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the protections in place to ensure that accommodation designed and built for students remains as student accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35466/18]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Research undertaken by the Higher Education Authority into student accommodation provision estimates that there is significant unmet demand nationally and, with the student population forecast to increase to nearly 193,000 by 2024, significant investment is needed in provision of accommodation nationally. The Department of Education and Skills, with the support of my Department, has sought to increase the provision of new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) as a key priority in addressing the housing crisis.

In July 2016, my Department provided advice to planning authorities, by way of Circular Letter PL8/2016, regarding matters to consider in relation to proposals for student accommodation. It was made clear that housing for students is a specific and important segment of the overall housing sector with distinct characteristics and requirements. The deficit in student accommodation was highlighted as having a significant related impact on the private rental sector. The increase in the provision of student accommodation was identified as an objective in the Circular and local authorities were encouraged to adopt a positive approach to new PBSA proposals.

In the consideration of PBSA proposals, local authorities were reminded of the need to establish a steady rental income for such student accommodation developments throughout the year in order to ensure the deliverability of development projects from a funding point of view and to recognise that student accommodation complexes can play an important role in providing affordable accommodation for tourists and visitors in major urban areas during peak summer demand periods.

At the same time, safeguards are required to ensure that student accommodation is not used as permanent residential accommodation and is restricted to students during the academic year. Planning authorities were therefore directed to attach planning conditions to new permissions related to use/occupation of student accommodation which generally facilitated the use of student accommodation complexes as alternative summer or holiday accommodation but reserved as student housing during the academic year.

Such legally binding planning conditions are now generally attached by the local authorities and An Bord Pleanála to new planning permissions for student accommodation. This clarification has assisted in increasing the financial viability of student accommodation through ensuring occupancy of facilities over the entire calendar year. Any breach of the use condition can be investigated by the planning authority under Part VIII of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended).

Any subsequent proposed change or deviation to another use would require a new and separate planning permission, and would be assessed by the planning authority in the normal fashion, having regard to the overall development plan policy and other considerations pertaining as to the acceptability of alternative use for the development.