Student Co-operative Homes is a new national body that aims to fix the student housing market, and it is making its way to Nottingham.
In its press release, Student Co-op Homes claims to “offer alternative [and] cheaper student housing in towns and cities across the UK – housing that is owned and run by students.”
In addition, it states that student Co-operative housing “can be up to 30% cheaper than equivalent student housing in respective cities.”
Currently, there are three operating student housing co-ops in the UK, Edinburgh, Sheffield and Birmingham, with Edinburgh being the largest with 106 beds and “occupying two buildings one door down from each other.”
“A lot of our effort was put in Student Co-operative Homes to help make things happen here in Nottingham”
And now Student Co-operative Homes are working with groups in Nottingham, Nottingham Student Housing Co-operative, to fix the student housing market in the city.
Published in 2015, the Student Co-operative Home’s primary report “identified Nottingham as [a] prime location for acquisitions.”
Speaking to Impact, Scott Jennings, a board member of Students for Co-operation who has worked in partnership with Co-operatives UK to establish Student Co-op Homes, said: “A lot of our effort was put in Student Co-operative Homes to help make things happen here in Nottingham, and that work has taken some years to accomplish.
“We have gained the support of key stakeholders in the community such as the City Council and Nottingham City Homes which is all around fantastic. [Recently the] Union Council formally obtained the support of our Students Union so they will help drive demand for us to grow and make students aware of this great project.”
“they are not looking to acquire property in Lenton”
Scott goes on to mention that they are currently “looking at negotiating property very soon” and that their current focus is in areas around University Park and Jubilee Campuses.
They want to be “responsible and help rebalance students in the local community.” Therefore, they are not looking to acquire property in Lenton, explaining that property in that area tends to be “overpriced”, are of “poor standard thanks to chronic underinvestment by landlords”, and due to the “clear and known frustrations of the local community.”
Consequently, they are looking into “acquisitions outside of the City Council Boundary such as in Beeston, Bramcote and Chilwell and inside the City Council Boundary in areas like Dunkrik and Wollaton.”
Sarah Lindgarde
Featured image courtesy of ‘Mark Stevenson’. License here.
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