Student Parking?

Hi all

Just before Christmas, I received an unconditional offer for Medicine from Dundee. Despite being my second choice when I applied, after visiting a few more times, I've slightly fallen in love with the place and am seriously considering just accepting my Dundee offer and withdrawing from my other choices.

I just had a small question about student parking in Dundee; is it viable? I live in Cambridge and taking the car would be advantageous in that when I go home for the holidays I'd be able to drive myself and take my things with me. Also, as I've been driving since my 17th birthday, I'm very used to having a car and one of my main hobbies - photography, specifically urban exploring - pretty much relies on having a car. I prefer having the freedom a car allows me to have, so leaving it at home isn't really an option. I know myself, and I would go round the bend if I didn't have the option of that additional freedom.

I've looked at the uni website and it seems the only uni accommodation with student parking is Seabraes. Other than that, I can't see any option to purchase a student parking permit, unless you have a 'confirmed medical condition'..?

So to cut a long question short - if you want to bring a car to Dundee, is it actually just a case of having to live at Seabraes?
Cheers (:

Reply 1

Chrisruptor

I went to Opal 1, which is mainly associated with Abertay, although there are rooms available to students from other universities, and they had around 6 parking spaces at a price per month. (which I believe was a bit expensive). Other than that, some of the private car parks allow you to rent a parking space too as far as I know, but I don't know any figures for them.

I don't know any specifics for any of the other halls I'm afraid, but it does open more options.

University of Dundee

Reply 2

smartipants

Hi there

Opal definitely offer parking (I'm staying in there now, but without a car) and it does cost, I believe it's something like £25/month. Personally I've never felt the need to have a car, even when going out to take photographs somewhere. Everything you need (shops, pubs etc.) are either a 10 minute (max) walk or an easy bus ride away :smile:

. Depending on how often you plan on going home and where you end up staying, you may find it cheaper to just take a train home and back.

All the best (:

Reply 3

TattyBoJangles

Original post by Chrisruptor

Original post by smartipants

Thanks both of you for your replies :smile:

I was more looking at University of Dundee student accommodation - for my first year, anyway. Failing that, I was wondering if anyone knew about other parking charges eg parking permits from the council that allow you to park in certain places?

Leaving my car at home really isn't something I want to do. I'm not fussed about getting to places in Dundee itself - I'm not averse to walking :p:

- but for weekends it would definitely come in useful
As for my photography, I have already looked up urban exploring sites near Dundee and there are quite a lot of them. They all definitely require a car to get to. Aside from that, I'd like to generally be able to get out at the weekends and I've discovered that, to visit my boyfriend, the petrol cost is cheaper than the train fare. Not to mention the fact I'd not have to rely on public transport!

Thank you for your replies, anyway; how do you find it living in non-uni specific accommodation? It could be an option for me.

Reply 4

smartipants

Just done a quick search to see if I could find anything, found an application form here: https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/a2z/parkingpermits

I'm at Abertay, so I don't know much about the Dundee uni halls, but I'd imagine if you phone the uni and ask about parking they'll be able to advise you fairly well.

As far as mixed-uni accommodation is concerned, I don't really notice it. I don't know how many people in Opal at the moment actually go to Dundee rather than Abertay, but there're loads of people in there and I only talk to a small group of them. Opal do allow guests too, so if you were at a different lot of accommodation to your friends you can still have them over for drinks and so on. Just look into the options fairly well, chances are you'll have a ball whatever you choose :smile:

Reply 5

aimccartney

If you're looking to park at the uni halls, I'm sure Seabraes is the only halls with parking. Flats are slightly less modern though, but still liveable. I stayed in Heathfield (with both Belmont residences right accross the road from me) and there is plenty of side streets etc less than 5 minutes walk away that you can park in. If you do decide to stay there, have a quick look on Google Maps for Larch Street and basically around that area seems pretty good for parking. The Hub, the old mill and west 1 apartments all offer parking also, and you'll find there is just as many students from Dundee Uni in there as Abertay. They're also cheaper and often include things like TV.... through personal experience (Worked in the Uni residences for 6 weeks before walking out), if I had to do it again i'd probably go private. Uni ones themselves are not ran by the actual university but a seperate company (Sanctuary) and i found them really poor to deal with.

Reply 6

NirvanaFighters

Original post by TattyBoJangles

Hi all

I also curious about student parking, though not at this specific university. However my needs are similar, I didn't think there were that many urban explorers out there but I would be gutted not being able to do photography and travel to sites.

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 7

kcmackenzie

I've had a car in Dundee since 2nd year (I recently sold it so don't have one anymore) and parking is not a hassle. My friends who had cars while we were in halls had no trouble finding free parking. All up Peddie Street, Forest Park Road, Forest Park Place, Larch Street, Rosefield street and Blackness Road there is free on-street parking. There is a free car-park on Perth Road (it has a sign for 72 hours, but I parked there for weeks on end in 2nd year as I lived right beside it and it was fine).

I loved having a car in Dundee because I could go to the supermarkets or up to Ninewells or out to St Andrews whenever I wanted. Parking at Ninewells costs quite a bit, for when you have class up there. So I recommend getting the bus up and scoping it out a bit, lots of staff park on nearby free-parking roads instead of in the Ninewells carparks. The University reimburse you for bus tickets for classes anyway so I have always taken buses up to Ninewells.

As for halls, I stayed in belmont and I'd definitely recommend Belmont or Heathfield for the social stuff. Seabraes is nice enough and has parking and a nice view, but it is an older set of flats, you'd need to arrange a visit to see. Westpark is SO far away, all my friends that were there have found it so much easier living closer in privately rented places.

Good luck at Uni!