Coventry: Non-students can live in Uni blocks during term time

According to the letter, Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic have resulted in far fewer international students coming to the UK to study.

There was also an “oversupply of purpose-built student housing” in the city.

Since 2022, when the city council agreed that the building can temporarily rent rooms to non-students outside of school hours, student demand has “continued to decline,” the document continues.

The building had “high levels of vacancy” during the academic year, the letter added, dropping from 92% occupancy in 2021-22 to 74% – and only returning this year due to short-term letting.

Other student blocks in the city were in a “similar situation” – which was clear, the letter said, from additional change-of-use bids such as that for 33 Parkside last year.