To accommodate the increasing number of Danish and international students in the city, Mayor Frank Jensen (S) has decided to build 480 student homes in national rail service DSB's former headquarters near Kongens Have.
The project is aimed at helping the city reach its goal of establishing a total of 6,000 apartments for students in the near future.
“I am happy that we are working together to create more housing options for students,” Jensen told Berlingske newspaper. “Earlier this week I promised that we will reach 6,000 student homes, and with 480 new apartments in the former DSB building, we are already on our way towards that goal.”
READ MORE: Record number of students accepted to university
DSB moved out of the building in Sølvgade in June after establishing a new headquarters in Høje Taastrup.
Now property company Ejendomsselskabet Norden owns the building and confirmed to DR Nyheder that it will support establishing student housing as soon as the right project leader has been found.
Occupied school to house students too
With record student numbers combined with Copenhagen’s rapidly-expanding population, the pressure on cheap housing is increasing every year.
In October, Socialdemokraterne (S) and Socialistisk Folkeparti (SF) proposed transforming the abandoned Havremarken school in Nørrebro into student apartments after the group Hjemløse Studerende (Homeless Students) occupied the building to protest against the lack of accommodation in the capital.
READ MORE: 'Homeless' students occupy empty school
"It is really great that we have been listened to," Juliane Stege, aspokesperson of Hjemløse Studerende, told metroXpress newspaper. "But it is only a small step. The school is small and I hope City Council will turn more empty buildings into affordable student housing."
Rent is too high
Since the monthly rent of a room in the former DSB building will be between 5,000-6,000 kroner, the national student council Danske Studerende Fællesråd (DSF) complained that the homes will be way too expensive.
"No matter how attractive and stylish it will be to live there, the price is so high that it will put off most students," DSF's head, Jakob L Ruggard, told Metroxpress newspaper. "It requires that you either have a family who can support you or that you work an extreme number of hours next to your studies."
The one or two room apartments will be around 25-30sqm and are scheduled to be ready for new students in 2016.
