Cllr Wrighton

Green Councillors have expressed concern that a report considering the impact of growing numbers of students in Brighton & Hove is being "brushed under the carpet".
 
Cllr Georgia Wrighton, a member of the ad hoc panel which published the scrutiny report ‘Students in the Community’, said:
“While students are a part of the heart and soul of Brighton & Hove, it’s clear that the high concentration of student houses in some parts of the City is having a negative impact on other residents.
 
“In the Hanover & Elm Grove area, for example, local residents have raised concerns around the noise and refuse problems caused, in part, by the high number of students living in the area.
 
“That’s why we decided to investigate how best to tackle the situation. Our report, published some seven months ago in March, makes several recommendations.
 
"But the Tory administration doesn’t seem in any hurry to properly consider, let alone adopt, some of the very sensible suggestions we made.
 
“I’m concerned they hope to brush the ‘studentification’ report under the carpet – leaving the many residents who have asked for help in dealing with this problem wondering if the council are ever going to do anything about it.“

Cllr Mears

Councillor Mary Mears, who chairs Brighton & Hove’s Strategic Housing Partnership, said:
“Far from sweeping this issue under the carpet, we have been working with a range of partners to plan for the future needs of student housing and neighbouring communities.
 
“The Strategic Housing Partnership commissioned the University of Brighton to undertake detailed research for a city-wide student housing strategy and this work had begun before the scrutiny panel into ‘studentification.’
 
“Since then we have drawn up a draft student housing strategy that both fits in with the council’s own housing strategy and takes into account the recommendations of the scrutiny panel.
 
“The city’s Strategic Housing Partnership, which is made up of the city council, universities, housing partners, primary care trust, businesses, landlords and estate agents is helping to finalise the strategy. We are anticipating that it will be formally considered by the council’s cabinet next month.
 
“One of the ideas we are exploring is an area-based approach to planning for purpose-built student accommodation which could be incorporated into our planning framework. We would then use it to guide our planning policies.
 
“The council also provides support, working with both universities, on property management, advice for students and dealing with any issues that may arise in the community. The universities contribute a great deal to the city and are helping us develop practical solutions for student housing.”

For more information about the Greens view: www.brightonandhovegreenparty.org.uk