Bid to stop university students 'taking over' areas of Shrewsbury
Work to prevent areas of Shrewsbury being "taken over by students" is being completed as a matter of urgency, the councillor responsible has said.
Councillor Malcolm Price, Shropshire Council's portfolio holder for Planning, Housing, and Commissioning, told members of Shrewsbury Town Council that work on an "accommodation strategy" for University Centre Shrewsbury is currently being completed.
He said he wanted to allay fears the work would not be done.
Councillor Price was speaking after Paul Kirkbright, deputy provost of Shrewsbury's new university, addressed members of the town council on the university project's progress.
Following Mr Kirkbright's presentation, Councillor Alan Mosley, leader of Shrewsbury Town Council, said the town needed to be prepared for the impending increase in its student population.
He said: "Despite being massively in favour of the university there is a problem we have to face up to and that is the process of 'studentification'.
"I do not think it will be a problem at first but it may well develop moving on in the future, with a process whereby housing areas become overtaken and overwhelmed by student numbers.
"I want to impress on you, it is a potential problem and I am concerned because it would undermine the major success the university could bring."
Responding to the claim, Councillor Price said: "Alan is right to identify a need to be aware of some of the pitfalls. I took a report to cabinet last month that says those policies would be in place by September 2015."
He said Councillor Mosley would also be involved with the work through his role on Shropshire Council's scrutiny committee.
Earlier at Monday night's meeting, Mr Kirkbright said the university had been pleased with the geographical spread of people applying for places, although more would be done to advertise to people in Shropshire.
He said: "We have not only had encouraging responses from the North West and surrounding areas of Shropshire and the West Midlands, but also we have managed to pull in applications in significant numbers from London, also Wales and the North East."
Mr Kirkbright said the university has also attracted applicants from Scandinavia, Italy, Spain, and the Far East.
He also told councillors that the institution will have a "broad based curriculum".
