THE Scottish Greens are calling for a moratorium on purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) in Glasgow amid falling international student numbers.
Greens MSP Iris Duane made the call after a briefing note from Glasgow City Council confirmed there are currently 21,655 operational student beds across the city.
The note also revealed a further 18,213 beds are in the development pipeline, which could potentially take the total provision to almost 40,000 bed spaces.
Duane said: “A lot has changed since 2017. The lack of joined-up thinking towards where we build PBSAs and who they are for is tearing apart local communities.”
Glasgow, like many university cities, saw a significant increase in international student numbers in the years leading up to 2023/24.
As numbers grew, a large amount of purpose-built student accommodation was approved to meet increased demand.
However, international student numbers have since begun to fall, with figures showing a sharp 20% drop across all levels of study between 2022/23 and 2023/24.
Duane pointed to what she described as a widening gap between demand and the number of developments planned for the city and urged ministers to halt further approvals.
She said: “Too often transnational corporations, who have never walked our streets, are plonking down PBSAs with little regard for those who already live there.
“Housing is meant to be for people, not absurd profits whilst regular families are struggling to get a good home.
“International student numbers are continuing to fall. It is hard to see the justification for continuing to build more and more PBSAs when existing ones are not at capacity.”
Duane also argued that the developments were not necessarily serving the students they were designed to accommodate.
She said: “When speaking to students, they often feel as though their PBSAs were not good value for money, proving that the only people benefiting here are those who are profiting.”
The Greens MSP said she would question the relevant Scottish Government ministers “at the first opportunity”.
She added that she would push to “ensure that we are looking at the bigger picture and support residents to live in good, collegiate communities together”.
The Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council have been approached for comment.
