GROUND is being prepared for the build of new student accommodation in St Andrews, after pressure on the town’s current student housing stock reached ‘unprecedented’ levels.
The 748-bed accommodation block at Albany Park is the centrepiece of a £100 million investment in student accommodation by the university which will create 1,000 new bedrooms over and above the 4,000 that it already provides.
The university said that late changes to the way A-level and higher school results were calculated, coupled with a high demand from overseas students, have boosted the university’s population from 9,000 to an estimated 10,000 students.
The boost in numbers has meant that accommodation has had to be offered in nearby Leuchars and in Dundee. The university said the new Albany development will relieve pressure on the local housing stock.
Ben Stuart, The University of St Andrews’ director of residential and business services, said, “Mainly due to circumstances outwith our control, we are seeing unprecedented demand for University-run student accommodation. The development at Albany Park is central to the University’s strategy to provide more accommodation for our students and ease the pressure on the housing stock in St Andrews.
“The new Albany Park will provide around 750 high-quality student beds in an attractive landscaped environment and has the potential to revitalise the eastern area of St Andrews.”
The university’s student association president, Dan Marshall, added, “Now, perhaps more than at any other time, students want high-quality, affordable and safe accommodation in St Andrews. Any increase in the provision of purpose-built student accommodation is good for students and is good for St Andrews as a whole.
“I look forward to working with the University to make sure that this new accommodation meets student needs when it comes to affordability and helps relieve pressure on the St Andrews housing market.”
