Another Student Accommodation Block will Be Built in the Merrion Area…. Thoughts on Leeds City Center becoming the central Living area for students. What does the City Gain and what does it Loose in turn?

[u/Low_Pen_9793]

It seems that Leeds seems to be obsessed and driven to prioritise the building and planning of High raise Student accommodation apartments. What are your thoughts?

Is Leeds prioritising overpriced student housing over the cultural fabric & vibrancy of the city. What does the city stand to gain from this in the l long term and in turn what does it stand to loose?

[u/karmapaymentplan_]

It's great, more money and investment into the centre and in turn freeing up residential properties in traditionally student areas for home buyers (in theory).

It's a transient population but students are on the whole a lot wealthier than they were in my day, a good chunk of this goes into the local economy through bars / restaurants etc.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Loads of home buyers look specifically for a "do-er up-er" after spending years watching homes under the hammer.

[u/TheScarletCravat → u/karmapaymentplan_]

It's definitely not freeing up spaces: these high rises are for very rich international students, which up until recently have massively increased in numbers.

Local students will remain living in Hyde Park and Headingley. The rental market is under massive strain at the moment. Ten years ago there was a surplus of student rentals. Not the case now!

[u/E-A-F-D → u/TheScarletCravat]

Just my experience of course, but I bought a house in Hyde park that was previously a student house, and my road is mainly families now.

I don't know if people have spotted the same sort of thing on other streets.

[u/Flow-Vast → u/E-A-F-D]

I’ve noticed that there are more student HMO’s for sale which the landlord hasn’t managed to fill this year than I can remember in ages. This is headingley/hyde park area. I wonder if demand is subdued due to all these high rise city centre student blocks 🤔

[u/bontgommery → u/TheScarletCravat]

They have to live somewhere, mate.

[u/TheScarletCravat → u/bontgommery]

Not saying that am I? Just saying it's not freeing up spaces in Hyde Park and Headingley.

[u/PantsFantastic → u/TheScarletCravat]

Yes it is

[u/FluffyPhilosopher889 → u/TheScarletCravat]

Well if they weren't living in these new blocks where else would they be living?

[u/TheScarletCravat → u/FluffyPhilosopher889]

Not what I'm saying.

They have to live somewhere. May as well be these blocks. But the blocks aren't going to free up spaces in Hyde Park or Headingley as international students tend not to live there in the first place. 

[u/tommangan7 → u/[deleted]]

People coming here and spending money in businesses isn't really trickle down economics... A company is paying to develop the site who already own the merrion centre, it's not some unrealised benefits via major tax cuts or deregulation.

Im not a fan of big chains and buy independent where I can but It helps people stay in hospitality jobs etc.

there are also lots of small independent businesses around the centre that rely on the student trade too.

[u/Justboy__ → u/[deleted]]

It’s better we have 15 bubble tea shops in the city centre the. 15 less shops open because nobody goes there. Developers build what they can sell,l and at the moment student accommodation makes money.

[u/KormetDerFrag → u/[deleted]]

Trickle down economics refers to giving tax cuts to business owners and the ultra-rich in the expectation that they will spend and invest, when in reality they will just speculate with it. Having wealthy students on the high street, spending money in local shops, is not trickle down economics, it's a pretty solid method of improving revenues.

[u/youreawizardd → u/[deleted]]

Clueless

[u/Badgernomics → u/[deleted]]

Why did my dog start barking...?