Councillors are next week expected to push ahead with measures designed to limit the concentration of student housing in certain parts of Bath.
Members of Bath and North East Somerset Council's cabinet meet next Wednesday to discuss a proposal for a planning rule called an Article 4 direction, which would restrict the number of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in each street.
This would not be retrospective, so would only prevent new conversions being allowed if more than 25 per cent of properties in a 100-metre radius were already HMOs.
A report, which recommends councillors approve the Article 4, said there were a number of reasons why a high concentration of HMOs caused problems for residents.
It said the authority was devoting time and resources to dealing with issues such as noise, litter and rubbish collections which were directly linked to the high number of shared homes in areas such as Oldfield Park.
"The council on average receives 428 general service requests per year which can be directly related to the domestic use of HMOs. Almost half of these come from the wards of Oldfield, Widcombe and Westmoreland.
"For the above three wards, in 2011 Council Connect received a total of 237 requests for street sweeping and 95 complaints in relation to domestic waste being put out on the wrong day.
"Common issues raised by residents highlight problems including poor property and garden maintenance, rubbish and litter, loss of community balance (particularly where areas become under-occupied over the summer months) and where HMOs are seen to dominate the housing mix. Parking problems and low level anti-social behaviour are also reported."
Supporters of the scheme say it will help protect neighbourhoods and retain a balance of family homes, making life more affordable for struggling buyers, while others are concerned that it is too little too late.
There is also criticism that it could make Bath an undesirable place to live for young professionals and university graduates who are starting out in their career and cannot afford to live alone.
And in recent days, concern has emerged from some residents of the streets with the highest proportion of HMOs that the new rule will hit them in the pocket.
Ironically, while they have long complained about the impact of student homes on their daily life, they are concerned the potential value of their homes will be cut because they will never be able to sell them on the more lucrative buy-to-let market.
Public relations professional Johnny Kidney, who lives in Lorne Road and has a young daughter, has seen more than 85 per cent of his street's properties converted into HMOs.
He said: "While the principle of the policy is good to protect streets that haven't yet become over-concentrated with HMOs, there is a lot of concern in streets such as ours.
"The few council taxpayers left on our street our very concerned that once the policy comes in, up to 30 per cent will be wiped from the value of our homes, as evidenced in research from the Residential Landlords' Association."
Other councils elsewhere have exempted some streets from new rules similar to those envisaged in Bath.
Councillor Ben Stevens, who represents parts of Oldfield Park in his Widcombe ward and used to live in rented accommodation in Lorne Road himself, said he was sympathetic to the street's residents.
Mr Stevens, who went to university in Bath and is now B&NES cabinet member for sustainable development, has in the past said he backed exemptions.
"I don't want to see any of my residents trapped in a student ghetto, or lose house value. Until a year ago, I lived in Lorne Road and am very familiar with the problems that the road faces. However, the Article 4 direction is the big prize, and will ensure that all my other residents will never live in roads that are as bad as Lorne Road is. Currently, the advice we have is that any exemptions could jeopardise the entire scheme, opening it up to challenge. For this reason, I am sympathetic with the plight of the tiny minority, and will continue try to find ways we can solve it without putting the whole at risk.
"Between now and Wednesday, I will be working with the cabinet member responsible (Councillor Tim Ball) and officers to try and find a way we can help families like Mr Kidney's without putting the whole at risk."
The cabinet meeting will be held in the Guildhall next Wednesday at 6.30pm.
To see a copy of the agenda go to www.bathnes.gov.uk.
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