AN MP believes Durham University is at risk of becoming accessible only to "an elite band of students".

Durham MP Gerry Steinberg was speaking after the university agreed to increase students' residence fees by £200, plus inflation.

The university council's decision will apply to the 4,247 undergraduates in halls of residence at Durham's 13 colleges, from October.

It will be reviewed in future years, with a view to a similar inflation-backed increase for each of the following four years.

University chiefs claim fees at Durham are among the country's lowest, with extra money needed to maintain and improve accommodation without using funds earmarked for teaching, libraries and computers.

Hundreds of students staged a recent protest rally followed by a sit-in, in protest at the proposed rise, outside the university's administrative headquarters, Old Shire Hall.

But, after the new charges were approved Mr Steinberg met university officials to express concerns over the increase.

"Access to higher education could be reduced in Durham, as accommodation will only be available to those lucky enough to be able to afford it.

"This is in complete contrast to Government policies aimed at encouraging access to higher education for all studentst. I oppose any measure which makes Durham University accessible only to an elite band of students."

University press officer Keith Seacroft refuted Mr Steinberg's claims, and said: : "For many years we have been relatively under charging, as we have got a very large maintenance bill.

"Far more people are going to university now and the amount of income per student has not gone up. It's going down."