draft planning position statement
Lewisham Council is preparing to consult on new planning guidance to generally discourage further purpose-built student accommodation.
Lewisham Council's Mayor and Cabinet decided in November 2026 to consult on a draft planning position statement. This statement will clarify how the council applies existing planning policy regarding student accommodation, with the aim of generally discouraging further purpose-built student accommodation. The council cited concerns over oversupply and the impact on conventional housing.
The draft statement aims to ensure that any new student accommodation meets a real need without compromising housing targets or causing harmful overconcentration. This approach is intended to guide future development applications within the borough.
Key facts
- Lewisham Council's Mayor and Cabinet decided to consult on the draft statement in November 2026. Source
- The draft statement will generally discourage further purpose-built student accommodation. Source
- The council cited concerns over oversupply and impact on conventional housing. Source
- The statement clarifies how existing planning policy will be applied. Source
- Existing policy requires student accommodation to meet real need without compromising housing targets. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 5 November 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.