The colleges, including Christ Church, Merton, Lincoln, Jesus, University and St Catherine’s, say that the tax is unlawful and would take money away from academic purposes and maintenance of college buildings.
The levy, which could cost colleges millions of pounds, increases the cost of new student accommodation by introducing a charge of £140 per square metre and an additional five per cent administration charge. This could potentially affect students through rent increases on university accommodation, or decreases in the availability of university student housing.
Wilf Stephenson, treasurer of Oriel, and a member of the Estate Bursars’ committee, said “We support the need for affordable housing in Oxford, but we believe the application of a levy to student accommodation is misdirected. When applied to the Oxford colleges, draft Policy HP6 seeks to impose an unjustified tax on education and research.”
According to the colleges involved, the levy “would take money away from our mission of delivering excellence in education and research.”
University spokesman Maria Coyle told the Oxford Mail that the colleges were seeking a dialogue with the council about the Housing and Sites Plan. “Their submission concludes that the additional levy, otherwise known as the affordable housing contribution, is not consistent with the city council’s core strategy adopted in March 2011.”
“They also argue that the levy is not set out in the core strategy, nor was there any debate on this matter during the core preparation process.”
Colin Cook, City Council board member for city development, told Cherwell that, “The council made some changes to the wording of this policy which were submitted to the Inspector last week. We hope these changes address the concerns of the University and the Colleges.”
“There will be an opportunity for the University and Colleges to make any points they wish to make before the Inspector at the inquiry in September and the Inspector will then decide if any further consultation on the proposed changes is required.”
Oxford Brookes say that the policy is unjustified, and would lead to higher student rental fees, disadvantaging those with lower financial resources. In their submission to the council’s consultation they argue that “The contribution towards affordable housing also cannot be justified where provision is made on a site that is already in student accommodation as there is no impact on the local housing market.”
The city council has also been criticised this week for failing to enforce a cap on the number of students living in private rented accommodation in Oxford. Its flagship policy prevents Oxford University and Oxford Brookes from moving into new buildings until there are less than 3,000 students living in city homes.
However, earlier this month Oxford University moved into new buildings in Radcliffe House in the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, despite a reported 3,250 Oxford students living out in residential accommodation in Oxford.
