Companies prepare for a student siege
Relations between the University and local residents has hit an all time low as development agencies draw up sweeping proposals to transform property across York into student rental accommodation. Local people believe this will swamp residential areas, and create student “ghettos”.
The crumbling relations have been intensified by the intervention of former York graduate and Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens, who has championed the concerns of family residents. He said: “The University expansion will be a grotesque mutation. The great thing about York and what makes it so unique is its intimacy and seclusion. I fear that once York loses sight of that the University will become very bland indeed.”
Former BBC Director General and incumbent York Chancellor, Greg Dyke warned the University to tred carefully while expanding. He said: “What I like about York is its size, lose that and it becomes just like any other University.”
Despite such high profile criticism, the University has remained determined to push through the controversial expansion, with companies queuing up to renovate housing to accommodate the expected surge in numbers.
Residents of flashpoint, Badger Hill, have protested that plans to gut a three-bedroom semi-detached house into a student accommodation complex, complete with six additional rooms, will be the start of a series of developments which will destroy the area and price families out of York.
Alan Richards of Badger Hill, has spearheaded a petition which is to be handed to the City of York Council protesting over an application by C&C Developments, who are proposing the conversion. The company declined to be interviewed.
C&C Developments are one of a number of companies aggressively seeking “highly profitable” potential student dwellings. Other agencies include Heslington based Sinclair Properties.
Mr Richards who has lived in the quiet area of Kimberlow Woods Hill for over 15 years said: “We would be devestated if the Council gave the go ahead for this development. I have no problem with students, but the University must do more to accommodate them on their own land, and stop them spilling out into family districts.”
Student Union Education and Welfare Officer, Ange Cheyne, has hit back at residents saying that the “often wrong” stereotype of a York student is “inappropriate” and “unfair”.
“Casting all students as antisocial and loud and presuming that students and residents cannot live side by side peacefully is not very constructive. We are all members of this vibrant community and we have to work together to get the most out of it” she said.
The decline in relations comes after the University announced plans to evict 19 families from the Bleachfield accommodation site, to make way for new student housing for the expected surge in numbers of new students in the next few years.
The University has assured residents that it is doing its best to accommodate the bulging numbers of students, but could not control private agencies. A University spokesperson said: “Private company applications to convert houses into student accommodaton are a matter for the City Council.”
Councillors have attempted to reassure residents this week that the proposals will have to go through “rigorous checks.” One councillor, who did not want to be named, told nouse that the student accommodation proposals were “almost certain” to be rejected by the council.
This will come as troubling news to the University and students alike, with housing in York becoming increasingly expensive and elusive. One student told nouse how he had been forced to apply to move back onto the University campus but had been refused and was now “homeless.” He explained: “I now cannot move back onto campus and can’t find anywhere affordable to live near to the campus. There should be more student accommodation, not less and if the University wants to double in size, where are all the students going to live?”
Concerns from all sides has made this the biggest single headache for the University. “It would be very short sighted not to admit that there will be troubling times ahead and supplying adequate student housing whilst trying to preserve surrounding residential areas will be a challenging and problematic path to tred,” revealed a University Spokesperson.
Heslington Parish Councillor, Susan Stern, an outspoken critic of the of the expansion programme, demanded the University to stop treating residents like “stupid individuals” at a consultation meeting on June 9th.
Richard Frost, Chairman of Heslington Parish Council said: “This expansion will affect every single one of us. This is our chance to stand up and resist the University encroaching into and clogging up our lives.”
The new campus, which will include a large artificial lake, will provide accommodation for over 3000 students. The plans also cater for a 25 hectare development devoted to Science City York and much needed sports facilities. It is estimated the development could bring over 4,500 new jobs to York and the surrounding area.
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