EAST Oxford say more students are living in their neighbourhoods than previously thought – but fear they will not get a chance to put it to a crunch inquiry next week.

They say their figures for the number of students in privately rented homes do not match those put forward by Oxford Brookes University.

But they have been told it is ‘unlikely’ they will get a chance to put their case to the latest round of a major inquiry into what can be built in the city in the next two decades – the city council’s Core Strategy.

East Oxford and Headington residents’ associations, representing more than 2,000 households, commissioned the Government-backed Higher Education Statistical Agency to research the figures.

The associations said ‘at least’ 4,535 full-time Brookes students live in their own or rented homes, compared to the 3,795 named last year by the university.

Residents now warn of a ‘studentification’ of the area, which is taking away much-needed homes for residents.

Spokesman Sietske Boeles said: “The statement offered fresh and compelling evidence, indicating that the ever-increasing Oxford student population is a major contribution to the housing crisis in Oxford.

“The new data shows a far higher number of students occupying family houses than reported by Oxford Brookes University.”

She said students were still living in houses despite a massive programme of purpose built student housing.

University spokesman George O’Neill said the association’s report analysed term-time accommodation.

He said: “It most likely includes students who live in their own home, as many postgraduate students do, as well as students who live outside the city of Oxford, for example near our Wheatley or Harcourt Hill campuses. These two factors alone could account for a significant difference between our figures and those being used by the residents – they are measuring different things.”

He said the university wants to cut students in private accommodation to below 3,000.

Helen Wilson, programme officer for the Core Strategy inquiry, said: “The residents’ statement did not seem to relate to the categories under which the topics to be discussed next week fall.”

The Government scrapped Labour housing targets this year, meaning 4,000 homes planned for south of Grenoble Road will not go ahead.

Oxford City Council is pushing ahead with plans for 8,000 homes – but says these will still not meet demand.