Speaking as a resident of Nottingham and a graduate myself, I have witnessed first-hand the positive, but also negative impacts of the increasing student numbers in our areas. Talking and listening to people in and around my city and in other parts of the UK, with conversations and comments made face to face or online etc. Many residents are growing increasingly frustrated, angry and sad about the ongoing situation. Our communities, along with its unique culture, history, housing and buildings, are slowly being overtaken by uncontrolled student numbers and thus Purpose-Built Student Accommodations (PBSAs). And still many students choose to live in houses and residential apartments anyway. While we acknowledge the huge range of benefits brought by students, the incessant growth we have been experiencing is simply unsustainable.

Nottingham for example has a decades-long history of diverse residential living, businesses and unique buildings and many of these areas are disappearing, just like other cities and towns across the country, many sites are now being built for PBSAs. With fewer options for residential buildings left for locals. Different neighbourhoods and communities in and around the city no longer resemble the familiar places we once loved due to the student body's continual expansion. While many young people and families continue to struggle when it comes to finding a home, as so many houses are taken up by students, some of which are in poor condition. Or plots of land or brownfield sites originally for residential apartments are often built as PBSAs instead. You only have to talk to locals looking for an apartment here to know the struggles of finding somewhere even after the huge pipeline of PBSAs that have been built, its not working.

Since the removal of recruitment caps in 2015, statistics show that the number of university students in the UK rose by 460,000 between 1992 and 2012, leading to an increased demand for PBSAs ("University numbers rise 'unsustainable'", 2012, BBC News). And since then it has only grown. ("Cities like Nottingham have more than 70,000 students – the fourth highest number outside London" 2024, thebusinessdesk). These sorts of numbers cannot continue, especially for smaller cities like Nottingham or Sheffield, compared to London or Manchester etc.

Through this petition, we call on local and national authorities to cap the number of students admitted to universities each year, but to also give power to councils to turn down PBSAs successfully without being punished like Beeston for example, where an unwanted PBSA building caused a £20k bill on the tax payer as the company appealed then forced it ahead. ("Failed bid to stop student block costs council £20k" 2024, BBC News). 

We know the the huge benefits that our universities bring, from the local economy to jobs, opportunities, activities, good quality education etc. But at the same time, we must consider the importance of maintaining the richness of local life, community, history and overall balance in places like Nottingham. And other areas across UK, where people are being affected by an uncontrollable increase over the years. Thus, we urge for a set of measures regulating university student numbers, having the total amount capped, keeping the student numbers down to a reasonable balanced level, especially for certain cities and towns. And give power to councils to have the final say if the building meets the requirements needed without them and the locals being punished if appealed.

Protect our cities, communities, and buildings. Prioritize much needed residential living. Please sign this petition and share it.