Anger amid claims three blocks of student flats in Luton 'used as hotels without planning permission'

Company Opto Living runs three student accommodation sites in the town – at Springs Place in Dumfries Street, London Park House in Park Street, and Chapel House in Chapel Street.

Although the units were originally granted planning permission as student accommodation, they have been advertised as hotel stays on websites such as booking.com and Trivago.

Now, retrospective planning applications have been made for all three sites to operate as temporary hotels for three years.

Student accommodation is exempt from paying business rates, and other hotels in Luton claim they have been significantly undercut by these practices.

Luton Hotel Forum stated: “Since 2017, a selection of newly-built student accommodation buildings have deliberately and consistently contravened their planning permission conditions by trading as hotels.

“This was in blatant and direct breach of a very specific planning condition, which prohibited the renting of bedrooms to non-students.

“These student houses have advertised and sold their bedrooms via their own websites and online travel agents, such as booking.com and AirBnB, to non students.

“This breach was first reported to Luton Borough Council in emails sent in 2017.

“As a direct result of the unsanctioned trading, these student houses have caused and created a price war amongst Luton’s authentic hotels in an effort to compete.

“The student properties were able to slash their prices per night to levels never before seen in Luton.”

In addition to Opto Living’s three sites, the forum has also objected to a retrospective planning application by Wenlock Court in Manor Road, part of Luton’s student village.

Members of the forum met the council’s senior leadership team in January, but complained that little was being done to support them.

On April 7, agents Zerum submitted the three retrospective planning applications for the sites. If granted, it would allow the sites to be used 100% as non-student accommodation in the first year, 70% in year 2 and 60% in year 3.

In its management plan, Opto Living stated: “All three sites are managed by a full- time, on-site management team from 9am–6pm, Monday to Friday. We also have on-site physical security management ... On-site staff are all employed directly by Opto Living.

“Opto Living would not look to segregate student and non-students and will embrace the management of the residents living in harmony.”

Bedfordshire Police has opposed the mixed-use proposal for Springs Place in Dumfries Street, arguing it poses a risk to students living there. The force said: “Students are amongst the most highly victimised sections of the community and we have major concerns about their accommodation being combined with other housing tenures.

“Crime and anti-social behaviour in homeless accommodation and public sector housing... is disproportionately high.”

A Luton Borough Council spokesman said: “The council fully appreciates the importance of the hospitality sector to the town.

“We are aware of the concerns of the Luton Hotel Forum, are engaging closely with them, and will provide them with an update when we are able to do so.

“The issues raised are complex and cover several different areas of legislation. While we seek to resolve them it would not be appropriate to comment further.”

Opto Living and Zerum were contacted for comment by Luton News, but did not respond to our requests.