The future pipeline of student housing projects is slowing, which will inevitably put more pressure on Australia’s private rental market.

Student accommodation“beds” at development application stage have fallen from 12,000 to 11,471 or by 4.4% since May, according to Urbis and the Student Accommodation Council (SAC).

SAC Executive Director Dr Adele Lausberg says there are nearly 18,000 beds under construction, which is good news for the sector but the fall in applications is a warning sign.

Urbis Director Alex Stuart says there is clearly an appetite to invest in student accommodation, with almost 18,000 beds now under construction but the bigger question is whether Australia can convert that momentum into a sustained wave of new supply.

“Purpose-built student accommodation does more than house students. Every additional bed also takes pressure off an already stretched rental market. The opportunity is to treat student accommodation as part of Australia’s broader housing solution, not simply as education infrastructure.”