Dwindling student numbers prompt change of use in Liverpool
A purpose-built student accommodation scheme on Lower Gill Street completed in 2016 could be converted into homes for the homeless due to falling demand among university-goers
Plans lodged with Liverpool City Council by charity and housing provider YMCA Together propose converting the six-storey Pembroke Studios into a care facility for homeless people that provides them with temporary accommodation and support finding a permanent home.
At present, the scheme, originally developed by Barry Ramm, provides 61 student studios as well as 33 short-term lets on the upper two floors.
The upper two floors were changed from student studios to hotel rooms in 2018 when student numbers began to fall. Collapsed developer YPG Developments was the applicant at this time.
As well as a decrease in international students, planning documents lodged with the application cite “numerous alternative similar blocks of student accommodation nearby” as another reason for the lack of demand at Pembroke Studios.
Pembroke Studios is not the only PBSA scheme on Lower Gill Street struggling to attract students. Last year, Place North West reported about the submission of plans to convert Lightbox on the same road into a hotel.
The developer cited an unwillingness among students to share kitchens and a dwindling number of international students, as its reasons for the switch.
Landor Planning Consultants is advising on both of the applications.
We’ll see this more and more. Permission sought for “student” accommodation suddenly changed to private because “no demand”.
By Realist
Liverpool has a massive student population already so makes sense.
By Anonymous
This is a fantastic idea! About time Liverpool addressed the homeless situation in Liverpool, these poor people having to camp out in tents in the city when the council has loads of empty buildings in the city they could utilise one of them to erect their tents in and be warm safe and dry. Liverpool council really needs to do more to help these people and resolve this situation as tents in the city Center us not a good look to us as a city when tourists are flocking here to see tents everywhere.
By Timski
Grim in a already grim area
By Anonymous
Dwindling Student numbers? But how?
By Anonymous
Liverpool student numbers are up 7% since 2019/20. This is simply a poor quality scheme.
By Anonymous
Is this not just easy money for the owners – get it off their books with the rent paid? The area is the gateway to the city – why can it not be a hotel throughout? Is this not going to make London Road a less navigable area – when there are already issues with the area – the issue of homelessness and drinking etc that is already present needs to be addressed without bringing further issues.
By Julian
Given Manchester, among others, is powering ahead with new PBSA, is this a sign that something is going particularly wrong with students wanting to study in Liverpool, which would be quite serious given how much the city has come to depend on the sector?
Or is it students rejecting London Road which somehow manages to keep getting more grotty, a simple money making decision by the owners (students don’t like sharing kitchens…), or confirmation UK students still prefer shared houses over expensive PBSA, shared kitchens bathrooms and all, after 1st year in spite of what we/gullible investors keep being told?
By London Toad
@ Anonymous – student numbers are decreasing so don’t know where you’ve got that from. Fewer international students. About time we got actual housing and amenities rather than yet more student blocks.
By anon
What a surprise. Low quality student accommodation “suddenly” changed for other purpose. Nothing like developers ignoring the building regulations and getting away with it
By Anonymous
get them sorted it’s 2025 not 1826 sort it out
By David ashcroft
@ February 19, 2025 at 9:59 am
By Realist
This has also been happening in Preston.
By Rye
If you look directly across from this there is a newly (last 6month) high rise of student accommodation that’s just been built aswell
By Danny
Let’s hope it’s true
By Baldon