Plan for design standards in student accommodation to increase supply and affordability

The move marks the first time in the history of the State that the Government is investing in building student accommodation

The Government has announced a plan to develop design standards for purpose-built student accommodation.

The Government has announced a plan to develop design standards for the new generation of purpose-built student accommodation, in a bid to make it more affordable and increase supply.

The move, announced by Higher Education Minister Simon Harris and Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien, marks the first time in the history of the State that the Government is investing in building student accommodation.

"Already, we have helped to fund the construction of 1,100 beds, with many more on the way," said Mr Harris.

"As part of the new Student Accommodation Strategy, it is important we examine the best models of delivery for student accommodation.

"This project will examine how best we can increase the supply of accommodation but also improve affordability too.

"Minister O’Brien and I, along with our officials, are committed to increasing the supply of student accommodation. This work is vital to that."

Higher Education Minister Simon Harris said the Government had helped fund the construction of 1,100 beds, with more on the way. Picture: Brian Lawless

The move comes after a Residential Construction Cost Study, which was published by Mr O’Brien in May and recommended the development of a standardised specification for purpose-built student accommodation.

International best practice

The first step will be to conduct a study to examine international best practice and flexibility of design to establish appropriate standards in the delivery of affordable accommodation.

The project will be led by a cross-departmental project group with stakeholder engagement throughout the process, which will include student representatives.

"Housing for All commits to the development of purpose-built student accommodation in Ireland as part of the broader strategy towards overall diversification and, particularly in this case, the increased availability and affordability of rental stock," said Mr O'Brien.

Recently, €62m in funding was allocated to delivering more than 1,000 student accommodation beds, and work is under way to plan student accommodation across the higher education sector.

“The Residential Construction Cost Study identified significant approach differences between Ireland and Europe with respect to PBSA. Standardised design and specification are more prominent in Europe,” Mr O’Brien said.

The project is to commence immediately with the appointment of a cross-departmental project group chaired by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science, followed by a request for tender for an expert consultant to undertake the study.