Chiefs launch survey after concerns over standard of student accommodation in Hartlepool

Hartlepool Borough Council Regeneration Services Committee backed the move to carry out a desktop survey to identify the numbers of students living in the private rented sector.

Surveys would also be undertaken to capture their views, after concerns were previously raised over the standard of such accommodation.

Councillors raised how if more high quality halls of residence sites were made available, the private rented homes currently occupied could instead be used to provide social housing in the town.

Student accommodation will also be looked at as part of Hartlepool’s Town Deal, which gives the area the opportunity to bid for funding of up to £25million as part of the government’s £3.6billion Towns Fund.

Cllr Christopher Akers-Belcher, chair of the regeneration services committee, noted there are currently 159 places for students in halls of residence, compared to an overall number of places for students between 352 and 598.

He said: “With the need for social housing in Hartlepool, if we progress with good quality student accommodation, that’s going to complement our Town Deal to reinvigorate the town centre, that would also release between 200 and 350 social housing homes across the town.

“To build in with that I think the piece of work we need to do, as well as quality, is what is going to be best to complement the Town Deal from a location point of view, whether that is a public investment, a public private investment, or a private investment.

“What is going to be the best option for Hartlepool to create a critical mass in the centre of town?”

Denis McGuckin, director of regeneration and neighbourhoods, added the work will feed into proposals being created for Hartlepool’s town centre masterplan as part of the Town Deal.

She said: “As we grow and exist and develop our town centre we need to actually look at a number of different sectors, one of which being housing.

“The advantage of having housing in the town centre is that people are encouraged to stay active longer, they are visiting the town and leisure recreation, as well as having access to shops and other services.

“The private rented sector doesn’t necessarily always have the quality of standards that we would want.

“Need is currently being met but as colleges grow, we may need more accommodation going forward.”

She noted Hartlepool does not have an up-to-date private rented stock condition survey, with the last one completed in 2009.

The private rented sector accounts for almost 15% of housing stock in Hartlepool and has an important role to play in the housing market, according to council officers.

Council chiefs previously commissioned Arc4 to undertake a student accommodation needs assessment to establish the current and emerging need and demand within Hartlepool.

The report indicated there isn’t currently a shortage of student accommodation, however there were concerns over the quality and provision of private rented student accommodation.

A message from the editor

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to the Hartlepool Mail website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/subscriptions to sign up.

You can subscribe to the newspaper with 20% off at https://www.localsubsplus.co.uk/