Durham UniversityResidential Accommodation Strategy 2012 - 2020 Executive Summary

Prof. Graham Towl – Deputy WardenProf.Tom Allen - Head of Estates: The Colleges

Paulina Lubacz –TreasurerHarvey Dowdy - Assistant Director Estates & Buildings

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University Strategies

• University Estate Strategy 2012-20

• Urgent need for a Residential Accommodation Strategy (RAS) identified

• RAS submitted to Council July 2012 - endorsed

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The College Estate

• Aim: sustain a ‘collegiate university’• Collegiate Model ‘The Durham Difference’ USP• Colleges as ‘scholarly communities’

– Student support and success– Leadership, employability– Support and guide recruitment – Loyalty and alumni– Research activity

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College Communities• 16 Colleges (varying sizes optimum to be determined)

All students are members

• Residential Estate – current position:– All freshers accommodated in Durham; the majority in Stockton

– Approaching half of postgrads’ in Durham; around a quarter in Stockton

– About a quarter of undergraduate ‘returners’ in Durham; very few in Stockton

+ Fellows and Staff

+ bedrooms + social spaces + dining / catering + external areas

(sport and recreation)

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RAS: Capacity and Quality • Quality: refurbishment programme

(Colleges Division estate to be improved to Cat.A / B – recent work at Castle; Grey, Trevelyan, Hatfield 2012/13 etc.)

• Capacity: target in terms of proportion in residence– All freshers; available for all starting postgrads’– Enough returners for strong scholarly community

JCR Presidents’ Committee: serving livers-out – less effective

National Student Survey: Colleges with lowest proportion returners => lowest NSS participation

(key indicator 3rd party league tables)

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Castle Refurbishment

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Existing Accommodation Capacity

• For the 2012/13 academic year, around 6,600 bed-spaces will be available in University accommodation:

Around 5,700 in Durham City colleges Around 900 in Stockton colleges

This excludes decant for refurbishments

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Student Numbers

• By 2015/16, modest growth to: around 14,000 students in Durham City (an

additional c.500) around 2,500 students at Stockton (an additional

c.500)

• By 2019/20, around 15,300 students in Durham City (+ 1,800

from 2012 baseline) around 3,400 students at Stockton (+1,400 from

2012 baseline)

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Proportion of livers-in without more capacity:

Capacity target range

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Capacity targets

NB. this will still not allow for decant space for refurbishment or redevelopment

2015/16 50% 70%

Durham City

1,250 4,050

Stockton 730 1,250

2019/20 50% 70%

Durham City

1,950 5,000

Stockton 1,150 1,850

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UEC/Council decisions

• Target range proportion(s) of livers-in:

Minimum 50%

(an increase from the 43% currently accommodated)

• Resulting need for new capacity i.e. Small increased student population overall

+ desire to accommodate more existing students

+ provision of decant space to facilitate refurbishment

• All accommodation to be on collegiate model• Immediate decisions: specific opportunities

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Demand - Key Conclusions• We are at capacity in terms of our ability to offer a

Durham residential experience to our students – in the short term returners and post-graduates will be ‘squeezed-out’ by first year undergraduates

• By 2015/16 demand demonstrated for 1,000 bed spaces delivered as Colleges at each campus in order to maintain supply at around 43%

• There is a medium/long-term need to increase our residential capacity

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Supply - Key Assumptions / Constraints (1)

• Internal and external approval processes (statutory planning) will not allow delivery of a substantial number of new bed spaces on DU-owned land before 2017 – 18 (whereas needed by 2015/16)

(sites investigated include Hild/Bede, Green Lane, Elvet Waterside, and infill sites at Hatfield and around the Hill Colleges - also Ushaw College: infill c.200 spaces

Agreed that DU / DCC will work together to deliver a Masterplan for the Hild / Bede site)

• Any new developments will be designed on the DU collegiate model (as opposed ‘Halls of Residence’)

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Supply - Key Assumptions / Constraints (2)

The DU Masterplan (2006) used to identify suitable sites for expansion :

(1) – on the north / south axis in Durham City

= Mount Oswald

(2) to the north of the River Tees in Stockton = North Shore

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Durham City – Site Availability

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Stockton – Site Availability

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Implications of DU Non-Investment

• DU will not be able to meet ‘standstill’ targets for housing students by 2015/16

• The private sector will intervene (possibly by 2015/16) – but to develop accommodation blocks not Colleges with associated student support, not necessarily in appropriate locations

• Lack of private-rented accommodation - limited at both campuses forcing students to live further away (particularly from Stockton), adversely affecting the student experience and the local economy, also creates demand for conversion of properties to HMOs