The total number of student accommodation beds currently in planning has nosedived 65% in the past year, according to StuRents data shared exclusively with Property Week.

Between 1 October and 31 December 2021, applications were submitted for 4,000 student beds, down almost two thirds on the 11,000 beds in planning in the same period in 2020.

StuRent’s report also found searches on its platform for three-bed or more ‘clusters’ (groups of PBSA beds that share a kitchen) and three-bed or more houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) comprised 81.1% of searches over the period.

StuRents said it expected clusters and HMOs to remain the most popular choice via searches on the platform in the short term.

Richard Ward, head of research at StuRents, said: “Viable opportunities are harder to come by compared with even a few years ago.”