Purpose Built Managed Student Accommodation (PBMSA) in Belfast: supplementary guidance on waste storage

Published: June 2021 

Contents

1. PBMSA waste and recycling collections in Belfast
2. Estimating the weekly volume of waste generated by a PBMSA development
3. Designing communal waste storage areas for dwellings (houses or apartments)
4. Calculate the capacity needed for each type of waste to be collected by the PBMSA collection scheme
5. Identify the types and quantities of containers needed
6. Example
7. Management measures
8. Useful contacts

This document should be used along with the Local Government Waste Storage Guide for Northern Ireland. It gives specific information on the waste storage needs of Purpose Built Managed Student Accommodation (PBMSA) in Belfast[Footnote 1]. It does not replace any legislation or remove the need for developers to consult with our Planning or Building Control Services to ensure compliance with relevant policy and legislation. You should still refer to the Local Government Waste Storage Guide for the wider design considerations, including location and access.

To allow us to operate collections efficiently, and to maximise recycling, developers of PBMSA are expected to follow this guidance to provide enough space for waste storage and to ensure that tenants recycle effectively.

This guidance applies to the living accommodation element of PBMSA developments. Appropriate separate provision should be made for the storage and commercial collection of waste from any on-site office accommodation.

1. PBMSA waste and recycling collections in Belfast

The Council collects waste from the living accommodation element of all PBMSA developments free of charge.

The Council provides a specific PBMSA waste collection scheme for any PBMSA development where the estimated weekly volume of waste exceeds a certain threshold; PBMSA developments below that threshold will receive the standard Council collections.

2. Estimating the weekly volume of waste generated by a PBMSA development

To estimate the total waste which will be generated from the development each week:

• A standard single-bed student room is estimated to generate 60 litres of waste per week.
• If the PBMSA development incorporates apartment-style accommodation, use the ‘dwelling’ calculation from Table 1 on page 13 of the Local Government Guide to estimate the waste generated from those units.

3. Designing communal waste storage areas for dwellings (houses or apartments)

If there are more than 95 rooms or apartments in total in the PBMSA development OR the estimated weekly waste (see Paragraph 2) exceeds 5750 litres, then the building qualifies to receive the ‘PBMSA collection’; you should proceed to paragraph 4.

If there is 95 or fewer rooms or apartments in the PBMSA development AND the estimated waste generated is
5750 litres or less, then the standard Council waste collections will apply; you should prepare your design in
accordance with the standard supplementary guidance for housing and apartment developments in Belfast, rather than this PBMSA supplementary guidance.​

4. Calculate the capacity needed for each type of waste to be collected by the PBMSA collection scheme

Break down the total weekly waste estimate into the various proportions set out in Table 1.

Table 1: Breakdown of the total weekly waste arising from qualifying PBMSA developments[Footnote 2]

Note 2 - This breakdown relates to Paragraph 1.3.1 of the Local Government Guide.

5. Identify the types and quantities of containers needed

Use Table 2 to select the types and quantities of containers you will use to accommodate the various types of waste:

Table 2: Waste collection arrangements for qualifying PBMSA developments

6. Example

If a PBMSA development contains 450 units, made up of 425 standard student rooms and 25 x 1-bed apartments:

The waste generated per week is calculated as follows (using the information in Paragraph 2 of this supplementary guidance and in Table 1 on page 13 of the Local Government Guide):

This development exceeds the threshold of 95 units in total (and also the arisings threshold of 5750 litres), as discussed in Paragraph 3 of this supplementary guidance, so the PBMSA design guidance applies.

Use the breakdown provided in Paragraphs 4 and 5 of this supplementary guidance to work out how much of this waste can be recycled and the number of bins needed:

Table 3: PBMSA example solution

7. Management measures

We are committed to maximising recycling in the city. As well as protecting the environment, recycling reduces costs and supports local jobs. Maximising recycling and minimising contamination is more difficult in developments with communal bins. Therefore, we expect operators to implement the following measures to make sure that recycling is optimised:

1. Manage waste storage areas so that there is always enough space available for general waste, dry recycling, glass and food waste, and that this is accessible at all times.
2. Provide information and signage for tenants about the waste management arrangements and which items should be placed in which bin.
3. Co-operate with us to promote recycling among residents.
4. Require tenants to comply with waste and recycling arrangements as a condition of their tenancy agreement.

8. Useful contacts

Footnotes 

[Footnote 1] Designs in accordance with the standard supplementary waste storage guidance for developments in Belfast are also acceptable.

[Footnote 2] This breakdown relates to Paragraph 1.3.1 of the Local Government Guide.