A council’s measure of the number of students living in Durham City has been labelled “woefully inadequate’, as residents continue their battle against them taking over family homes. 

The criticism came as Durham County Council’s planning committee rejected another application to convert a family home into a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) for students. 

It follows a series of rejections to similar schemes in the Neville’s Cross and Crossgate Moor areas of the city. Campaigners say the loss of affordable homes and encroachment by HMOs is creating unbalanced communities, encourages existing residents to move out and deters future residents from moving in. 

The council's planning rules state that proposals for new HMOs will not be supported where they make up more than 10 per cent of the total homes within 100 metres of the application site. 

FLASH SALE: £5 for 5 months on every new Premium Plus subscription until October 18

But its calculations have been scrutinised. “We know that the council’s measure of studentification is woefully inadequate and student numbers are far greater than stated,” said City of Durham parish cllr Susan Walker. 

She added: “The use of the 100m radius does not work in the residential areas off the A167, which in practice operate as a series of small local communities. Using information based on individual streets provides a better means of assessing the experience of local people.”

A family on St Bede’s Close have faced a 50 per cent increase in rent as “prices have risen substantially because of inflation and local student rentals,” a meeting heard. They negotiated it to a 30 per cent increase, but changed it to a short term let.

“We desperately need more secure family housing, not less,” said cllr Walker. 

Now, Durham University has launched a campaign to reassure students that there will be enough accommodation to meet anticipated demand. 

Students queued in their hundreds last year as part of a scramble to sign on for houses several months in advance. But in a bid to prevent repeated issues, the university has partnered with local authorities to help students. 

A multi-agency housing group has also developed a student lettings code of practice for landlords and letting agents, which enables responsible agents and landlords to demonstrate their commitment to putting student welfare at the heart of their practices, the university said. 

Read next: 

“We remain committed to our collegiate model under which most first-year undergraduates live in university accommodation, and we’re aiming that 40-45 per cent of our students will live in university-owned or -managed accommodation by 2027,” a statement added. 

Responding to the claims over the ‘studentification’ of the city, Stephen Reed, planning development manager at Durham County Council, said: “There was considered debate at the planning committee meeting about how this planning application complied with the requirements of our policy in relation to student housing, which is in line with national guidance.

“In this case, and having considered the full details of the case, members of the committee considered the proposals would be harmful to the amenity of nearby residents and on this basis resolved to refuse permission.”