Residents want action to curb 'student ghettos' (From Oxford Mail)

Residents want action to curb 'student ghettos'

5:12pm Wednesday 23rd September 2009 in News

STUDENTS are being blamed for bringing about “the disintegration” of communities by Oxford residents’ groups.

Campaigners meeting at All Saints Church, Headington, tonight are to propose a plan to stop the spread of student “ghettos” which they claim alienate other residents.

A resolution is due to be put to a public meeting organised by eight Headington and East Oxford residents’ associations, calling for the city and county councils, both universities and Oxfordshire NHS Primary Health Care Trust to form a group to address the issue of the “studentification” of parts of the city.

One of the organisers of the meeting, Dr Sietske Boeles, said: “The issue of student ghettos needs to be tackled, perhaps with the creation of ‘areas of restraint.’ “We need to find ways to stop social disintegration caused by high student numbers. Research shows it can lead to mental health problems, because residents can end up feeling isolated and excluded from their communities.”

Residents who opposed Oxford Brookes University’s £150m plan to modernise its Gypsy Lane campus said they were shocked and delighted by the city council’s vote to reject the scheme last week.

But business leaders expressed disappointment. Oxfordshire Economic Partnership chief executive David Doughty said Brookes had been let down.

He said: “Oxford’s two universities are of great value to the economy. It was short-sighted not to appreciate this and take the opportunity to have a modern Brookes.”

Keith Slater, a board member of Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “It’s very disappointing. The plans were of great importance to the development of both the university and the city.”