"Glasgow's Student Housing Boom: 10,000 New Beds Amidst City's Housing Crisis—Are Priorities Out of Place?"

Residents fury as city centre flooded by student beds

The Splash today uncovers a dramatic surge in student housing in Glasgow, with up to 10,000 new beds planned, pushing the city towards 40,000 student units—just months after the council declared a housing emergency.

While these developments aim to ease student shortages, locals accuse the council of favouring developers over community needs.

Currently, 10,238 beds are pending approval, with 6229 approved in the last three years.

From 2014 to 2024, the council approved 90 student accommodation applications, some of which may be duplicates.

Glasgow now hosts over 20,500 Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) beds, concentrated in the city centre and west end. Add in pending and approved developments, and the total student bed count hits 36,565.

Local frustration is mounting, especially in prime areas like Trongate and Sauchiehall Street.

Representatives from seven community councils recently convened to address the demographic shift and lack of social housing.

Residents are not again student accommodation but say that the new developments should be spread across the city.

A proposed 291-bed development at Granite House in Stockwell Street is particularly contentious, with six PBSA schemes potentially delivering 1840 beds in a 400-meter radius.

Garnethill residents have launched a campaign to stop plans for developments at the former ABC on Sauchiehall Street, the old Cowcaddens fire station, and 19 Cambridge Street.

Garenthill Community Council objects to the buildings' excessive mass and scale and criticizes the designs as unsympathetic to the conservation area.

Concerns extend to financial implications, as the average student accommodation cost in Glasgow is £14,000 per year, with some paying up to £1500 per month for a small studio. Critics argue this is unaffordable for many families.

Meanwhile, developers insist on the demand for more student housing, citing a 17,690 increase in full-time students over five years.

Despite this, residents call for a moratorium on new student accommodations, as seen in Yorkhill and Townhead, due to concerns over saturation and harm to residential amenities.

Unveiling the Full Story: A Deep Dive into Glasgow's Student Housing Surge

The dramatic escalation in student housing across Glasgow has sparked fierce debate. As the city edges toward a staggering 40,000 student beds, here's a comprehensive full story and a breakdown of every proposed and approved student accommodation project—an essential guide to understanding the scope of this rapid expansion and its implications for the local community.

Discover the complete list of student bed developments—both pending and approved—along with their key details below.

From the bustling heart of the city centre to the lively West End, and even the more contested areas like Granite House and Sauchiehall Street, we've gathered the full picture of Glasgow's evolving student housing landscape. Dive into the specifics and see how this surge in accommodation could reshape the city’s urban fabric.

Student Bed Boom in Glasgow City Centre Sparks Concern Amid Housing Crisis

EXCLUSIVE REPORT by Gary Fanning, Editor of The Splash

A special investigation by The Splash has revealed plans for more than 10,000 new student beds in Glasgow, just months after the city council declared a housing emergency.

This exclusive report indicates that Glasgow is on track for almost 37,000 student accommodation units, marking a significant expansion in the city’s student housing landscape.

While these developments aim to address student housing shortages, residents have accused council planning chiefs of prioritising developers over community needs.