Representatives from Northern Ireland’s two universities have told Belfast Council there is a big move from private rented houses to purpose built student accommodation blocks.
At Belfast City Council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee this week, Ulster University and Queen’s University reps gave a deputation on the importance of students and student accommodation in Belfast.
Councillors were told that, contrary to general opinion, the new student blocks were seen as better value than HMOs [house in multiple occupation] by students and their parents, and that the trend showed a significant move away from areas such as the Holyland, which has seen a fall in student numbers of 35 percent.
