VILLAGE leaders have claimed that the University of York expansion plans could have a disastrous impact on local communities.

Residents are concerned that streets will be "studentised" because accommodation on the proposed campus at Heslington East will be too expensive for them to live in.

The warning came following a meeting between village leaders, university pro-vice chancellor Janet Ford, City of York Council planners and Students' Union officers, chaired by Selby MP John Grogan.

Representatives from Heslington, Badger Hill, Fulford, Osbaldwick, Dunnington and Elvington questioned Professor Ford, who is leading the expansion project, about current and student housing issues.

Heslington Parish Council chairman Richard Frost said: "We were all totally astounded to hear from Janet Ford that, far from charging soft and competitive rents to keep their students living on campus, the rents proposed will be based on giving an economic return on building costs.

"She also said that the university would resist any planning conditions which might force them to be competitive with open market rents. This is unsustainable for the local community and antisocial."

Nick Allen, chairman of Heslington Village Trust, said: "This will be a disaster for all surrounding parishes and a windfall for unscrupulous landlords and developers."

The city council is currently considering an application to create a new 65-hectare campus, which, if approved, would increase the student population by 5,400 over the next 15 years.

Accommodation for 3,300 students will be provided on campus, in line with the council's design brief. The Students' Union has been campaigning for competitive rents to be offered as an incentive to stay on campus.

Local authorities in some parts of the UK, such as Headingley in Leeds, have introduced planning legislation to stop "student ghettos" destroying communities.

A university spokesman said: "The university would seek to cover the considerable costs of the accommodation through the rents, but even given that, we are confident it will be very competitive and attractive compared with the private sector."

He said that more accommodation was planned for the current campus in the coming years, and a campaign had been launched to encourage second and third-year students to stay in halls of residence.

Foreign students set to increase

YORK'S foreign student population is likely to swell next year, despite a drop in the number of international applications to study in the city.

The University of York said today that it had made more offers to students from abroad than this time last year, even though the level of applications was slightly down.

"We believe that this is because international applicants are becoming more knowledgeable about UK universities and apply to specific courses which are appropriate for them," said a university spokesman. "Certainly, the quality of applications is still high at York. No doubt, other factors, like visa fees, play a part in reducing the overall level of applications at a national level."

It was revealed this week that cash-strapped British universities have been struggling to attract foreign students, who typically pay fees eight times higher than those of UK undergraduates.

Universities UK, the vice-chancellors' umbrella group, said institutions had reported "difficulties" recruiting overseas students during the past year. Applications to the UK fell by 5.3 per cent, although overall applications were up 8.9 per cent as of last month.

York had 1,717 EU and international students during the 2003-4 academic year, roughly a sixth of the student population, and more than half were postgraduates. It is particular popular with American and Chinese students.

International students choosing to study at York next year will pay fees of £8,430 for non-laboratory subjects, and £10,765 for those with laboratory work.

Updated: 10:10 Saturday, February 19, 2005