• 9 months ago
Sheffield vox pop - Are there too many student flats in Sheffield?
Transcript
00:00 Around Sheffield a lot of them are in established residential areas where perhaps the campus is in the city centre.
00:06 So there's a lot of travelling involved. It's an ideal spot for students.
00:10 I probably feel it's about right.
00:14 Because I think some councillors are worried there's an oversupply. Is it up to them?
00:20 Market forces, I would guess. I don't know.
00:23 I mean there's policies clearly about land use and where people should be living and not living.
00:29 I'm really against apartment stores that get converted into residential accommodation because living space there is appalling.
00:37 Well I was just about to ask you about Debenhams on the Mall. Should it be converted into flats?
00:42 Probably not in my opinion but there you go. Cheers.
00:46 Supply and demand will leave Mid Stafford House. Obviously students are key to the vibrancy of the city centre.
00:55 And therefore I would say that if there's demand for them then it's fine.
01:00 Is there any role for politicians in determining the number?
01:05 I would say no. Leave it to the market to decide unless it's leading to a specific issue that affects public safety or other aspects of the city centre.
01:20 Then I would say no.
01:21 Should we turn Debenhams into flats?
01:24 It could be one option. It could be a choice. It needs something obviously doing with it.
01:29 I think using it for that is better than nothing.
01:32 Maybe a mix of that and maybe something else retail on the ground floor for example.
01:37 It's unlikely we'd be able to use it for full retail so yeah I don't see any issue.

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