London's boroughs will need to apply the Draft London Plan's new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) targets flexibly if the capital is to deliver the 31,500 new student bedrooms required over the next decade, according to planning and development consultancy Lichfields.
The Draft London Plan introduces borough-level PBSA targets for the first time, giving local authorities a clearer framework for planning student accommodation while recognising its role in supporting London's universities and reducing pressure on the private rented sector.
Lichfields said the targets should act as a basis for delivery rather than a ceiling, allowing councils to respond to changing student demand, university expansion and development viability over the lifetime of the Plan.
Jonathan Hoban, Associate Director in Lichfields' London office, said: "The introduction of borough-level targets gives local authorities a much clearer basis on which to plan for student accommodation.
"The key is ensuring that the targets support delivery without becoming an artificial limit. Demand will change over the lifetime of the Plan, so boroughs will need to provide sufficient flexibility to consider suitable schemes where there is clear evidence of demand."
Under the Draft London Plan, every 2.5 student bedrooms would continue to count as one home towards overall housing delivery targets. Lichfields also argues that local plans should avoid relying on a limited number of sites allocated specifically for PBSA, instead allowing suitable residential sites to come forward where demand can be demonstrated.
The draft policy proposes that new schemes should generally be located within around 30 minutes' travel of a university campus and have good access to public transport, services and local facilities. It also introduces greater flexibility over affordable housing contributions, allowing developers to provide affordable student rooms, combine a reduced provision with a financial contribution towards conventional affordable housing, or deliver affordable homes instead.
The consultation on the Draft London Plan closes on 15 October 2026.
