Oxford City Council is to push ahead with new powers that will allow it to stop family homes being converted into student digs, it was confirmed yesterday.

Under present regulations, residential property can be converted to a “shared” home without the need for planning permission.

But Oxford City Council is to adopt new powers, known as an article four direction, that removes those rights.

It means the Town Hall will have the power to refuse conversions.

However, they would not come into force for 12 months.

Oxford has one of the highest proportion’s of “houses of multiple occupation” (HMOs) of any UK city and they have been linked with problems such as noise.

The council’s executive member for development Colin Cook said: “This gives us greater powers to control the expansion of HMOs in Oxford in areas where there are already high numbers.

“It is to stop them getting out of hand.”

During a consultation on the powers, objections were lodged the Residential Landlords’ Association and the National Landlords’ Association, as well local landlords.

They fear the rules will reduce flexibility and make it difficult to satisfy demands for shared homes.

A decision on adopting the powers will be made by the council's executive member for development Colin Cook at a meeting on Monday, August 8, at Oxford Town Hall, 5pm.