Investigation into housing estate quotas for scholars

8:29am Wednesday 10th January 2007

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THE right of university scholars to live where they want in York could be limited by new city council rules to restrict the number of students living on housing estates.

Council officers are set to be asked to explore a new approach for accommodating students, following complaints by city residents.

People living in Badger Hill submitted a petition to City of York Council, voicing their anger over the number of local houses being converted to student lets.

Hundreds of local residents backed the petition, claiming the trend was having a "detrimental affect on their estate".

The petition stated: "People are already beginning to move out - people who have lived here for many years - and it is not new families moving in, but property developers who have no consideration for the community."

They also said students did not use local services, such as shops and the school, placing them in jeopardy.

The council's city strategy panel has now been advised to ask officers to look at an approach that would ensure student housing is accommodated "in an appropriate way" in the city, to strengthen the policy on student lets and protect family dwellings.

The latest protest was launched by the Badger Hill Action Group, which leafleted every home in the area.

More than one in two households responded, objecting to the rising number of houses being converted for student use.

The protesters also cited a number of local planning applications, which they felt epitomised the problem.

In a report to the city strategy panel, assistant development officer John Roberts wrote: "The petitioners state that every other house on the estate has shown their objection to this over-development of Badger Hill and that, based on the results of the petition, if planning consent is sought for future development of this type, theoretically, every household which borders that property would potentially object."

He said the issue had been a significant concern during the recent public inquiry into the proposed expansion of the University of York.

As well as claiming a detrimental affect on local amenities, residents voiced fears that student-let properties would become less well maintained; that there would be more cars parking; and that there could be an increase in crime in the area, particularly outside term time, when student-let houses were empty.

Grace Fletcher-Hall, policy and campaigns officer for York University Students' Union, said: "To say students do not use local services is just untrue.

"In Heslington, the remaining shops and services would collapse if there were not so many students living on their doorstep, and it is important for local residents to remember how much the local area and the city depend on the university and students in general."

She said a lot of the "sweeping statements" by the petitioners were unfair.