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2,990 PBSA Bed Spaces Completed by Q2, 2018

Continued Progress Towards Student Accommodation Goals

The Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D. and the Minister of State with special responsibility for Housing and Urban Development, Damien English T.D. today released the end Q2 2018 progress report on the National Student Accommodation Strategy. The National Student Accommodation Strategy complements the initiatives being taken by the Minister for Housing to increase housing supply under Rebuilding Ireland.

The National Student Accommodation Strategy (NSAS) includes 8 key targets and 27 actions to support the delivery of an increased level of supply of Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) and an increase in take-up of digs accommodation. The target as set out in the NSAS is the provision of 7,000 bed spaces by end 2019 and a total of 21,000 additional PBSA beds by 2024. We remain on track to meet, if not exceed, this number.

As of the end Q2 2018:

• · 2,990 PBSA bed spaces had been completed 
• · 7,257 further bed spaces were under construction
• · 7,154 additional bed spaces had planning permission granted 
• · 1,209 were at the planning permission application stage

These projects combine to a total of 18,610 PBSA bed spaces. 5,423 of these will be complete, or are due for completion, by the end of 2018.

Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D. said

“Students and parents have been heavily impacted by housing and accommodation shortages, particularly so in the context of the high demand for accommodation around our Colleges, Institutes of Technology and Universities – in light of this it is heartening to see that there is a healthy pipeline of student accommodation projects in train. Access to accommodation is a crucial factor in access to, and continued participation in, higher education.

Constructing additional accommodation will have long term benefits in moderating rent levels. In the short term I would also encourage people to consider renting a spare room to a college student and availing of the rent-a-room scheme. Whereby individuals can earn €14,000 tax free per annum for renting a room in their home. This would not only provide an alternative source of accommodation for students, but is also a potential income for parents and others who may have a spare room available.”

Minister of State Damien EnglishT.D. said

“These latest figures are further evidence that increased supply of purpose built student accommodation continues to be delivered for this important segment of the housing market.

In particular, I am delighted that the specific planning measures delivered through the Rebuilding Ireland strategy, such as planning applications for student accommodation being made directly to An Bord Pleanala, are contributing to the continuing pipeline of future student accommodation projects that will be built in Ireland."