Policy H/SA: Student accommodation

1. Planning permission will be granted for the development of new student accommodation for undergraduate and / or postgraduate students subject to the development: 

  a. meeting the identified needs of an existing higher educational institution within

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

in providing housing for students attending full-time courses of one academic year or more, and 

  b. restricting occupancy to students attending full-time courses of at least one academic year, and 

  c. within academic terms, the approved schemes being occupied solely as student accommodation for an identified higher education institution(s), and 

  d. the development not resulting in the permanent net loss of existing market or affordable housing, and 

  e. minimising any potential for antisocial behaviour, impacts on residential amenity, and if appropriate being warden-controlled, and 

  f. not significantly detracting from local amenity including parking provision, and where appropriate having management arrangements in place to discourage students from keeping cars in Cambridge and 

  g. having an agreed management strategy in place, where appropriate. 

2.

This refers to development in its widest sense, including buildings, and streets, spaces and places. It also refers to both redevelopment, including refurbishment, as well as new development.

(s) for student accommodation provided in individual, self-contained units, either as part of a shared student accommodation development or an individual proposal, shall as appropriate also provide suitable facilities and open space for dependents. 

3. Any accommodation for occupation by academic staff, will also be subject to the following conditions: 

  a. occupation by academic staff will generally be restricted to a maximum of 25 percent of the units provided by the development, and 

  b. for a minimum period of 6 months and up to a maximum period of no more than an aggregate of 3 years, and 

  c. meeting the identified needs of an existing educational institution within

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

in providing housing for academic staff associated with the institution. 

4. All schemes for new student accommodation must provide: 

  a. evidence at application stage demonstrating that there is agreed interest to occupy with at least one existing educational establishment based in

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

providing full-time courses of one academic year or more (for example an intention to occupy letter); and 

  b. written agreement/ confirmation prior to occupation that the intended occupiers have entered into a formal agreement with at least one existing educational establishment based in

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

providing full-time courses of one academic year or more to demonstrate compliance with the occupancy requirements as set out by this policy. 

5. Condition(s) and/or obligations shall be applied to implement the above, and for the future management and maintenance of the student accommodation. The interest to occupy and formal agreement will confirm that the proposed accommodation is suitable in type, layout, and maintenance regime for the relevant institution. 

6. All new student accommodation will be located: 

  a. in an appropriate location for the institution it is intended to serve, and 

  b. in a location well served by sustainable modes of transport. 

7. Planning permission will not be granted for development which results in a net loss of existing student accommodation, unless the net loss is compensated with better quality accommodation or, it can be demonstrated that the accommodation is no longer needed. 

8. Where students do not attend full-time courses of one academic year or more, or for academic staff whose length of stay is less than six months, their accommodation requirements will be expected to be provided within the site of the institution which they attend; or by making effective use of existing student accommodation within Cambridge outside term time; or by use of home-stay accommodation. 

9. Permanent purpose built student accommodation will not be supported on sites allocated for housing, or with an extant planning permission for residential development, unless in exceptional circumstances where no overall net loss of housing can be demonstrated through alternative off site housing provision and this is capable of being legally secured. 

Higher education institutions are an important aspect of Cambridge’s character and the students, academic staff and academic visitors who attend these institutions make up a significant proportion of the population of Cambridge. If adequate provision is not made for the identified needs of existing higher educational institutions in suitable locations, significant pressure will be placed on the local housing market. Our evidence demonstrates that there is a continued identified need for the development of new student accommodation and staff accommodation in

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

(evidenced through local growth projections informed by consultation between the councils and higher education institutions). 

Textbox 1062, TextboxFor student accommodation, existing permissions and allocations (including strategic sites) are anticipated to deliver an over provision against the identified need. For staff accommodation, North West Cambridge (Eddington) delivers key worker accommodation which exceeds the staff accommodation needs identified by the University of Cambridge Colleges. This policy steers how future student and staff accommodation development should be delivered and provides general support for the development of new student accommodation for students attending full-time courses of one academic year or more and for academic staff for a maximum of 3 years (subject to specific criteria), where it is identified that development of accommodation is needed to help to meet the growth needs of an existing educational institution in

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

. 

The provision of student accommodation can contribute to the development of balanced and mixed communities, but careful consideration needs to be given to the scale and impact of the development on local residential amenity and on the character of residential areas. Accessibility by public transport is also important as most students in purpose-built accommodation do not usually have access to cars, although parking needs for disabled people should be explored to ensure developments are accessible. The policy ensures students can live in an appropriate and sustainable location, within suitable and well-managed developments. 

Policy controls requiring a formal legal agreement with at least one existing educational establishment based in

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

and for the future management and maintenance of the student accommodation, prevent sub-division to allow these units to be sold on the open market and/or to be occupied independently from the student accommodation. This ensures that these units are only used by their intended occupants and are not treated or sub-divided for Use Class C3 residential occupancy (or other use), without planning consent. The requirement of a formal legal agreement also ensures that student accommodation is well designed, provides appropriate internal and/or amenity space and facilities (including provision for disabled students and staff needs). 

Encouraging more dedicated student accommodation can overall provide lower-cost housing that takes pressure off the private rented sector and increases the overall housing stock. The development of new student accommodation reduces demand for private accommodation occupied by full-time students and may release housing back onto the market to cater for wider housing needs. Any student bedrooms will contribute towards meeting our housing requirement on a pro-rata basis, in line with the ratio for student accommodation set out within the Housing Delivery Test rulebook (which is currently 2.4 bedrooms to one dwelling). A financial contribution for the provision of affordable housing will be sought from developments of student accommodation in line with the requirements set out in Policy H/AH: Affordable housing. 

• The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

  A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

  : Homes Topic Paper (2025)

• The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

  A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

  :

  This refers to development in its widest sense, including buildings, and streets, spaces and places. It also refers to both redevelopment, including refurbishment, as well as new development.

  Strategy Topic Paper (2025)

• The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

  Housing Strategy 2024-2029: Homes for Our Future and Annexes 1-8
• Housing Needs of Specific Groups in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire (2025)

We will consider all comments while developing the next version of the

A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

.

All comments must be received by 30 January 2026 at 5pm.