SITES across Oxford are being needlessly earmarked for student homes in a city with a chronic shortage of affordable housing, Oxford City Council has been told.

Oxford residents’ groups warn an extensive student home building programme will leave the city with a surplus of student halls at a time when there is a need for family houses.

Residents believe it is a mistake to propose another 1,050 student units when Oxford Brookes is significantly reducing its student intake.

Residents’ groups in Headington and East Oxford claim the city has seen unprecedented levels of student developments in recent years, with 1,000 residential properties also withdrawn from the residential housing pool to make way for students.

Twenty-four sites are earmarked for student accommodation in the council’s Sites and Housing planning document. These include controversial proposals to build student accommodation on car parks at St Clement’s, Union Street, Summertown and Headington.

Elizabeth Mills, chairman of East Oxford Resident Associations’ Forum, said: “Oxford University has stated that it is stabilising its student intake and Oxford Brookes University has announced a reduction of its intake by 10 to 15 per cent from September 2012.

“Too many sites are allocated for student accommodation. There is great concern that we could end up with surplus student halls in the near future.”

The city council set both universities a target that no more than 3,000 of their students should live in private housing to free up more housing rental and to stop neighbourhoods being overwhelmed by students. Oxford University spokesman Matt Pickles said: “It is the university’s policy to consult as widely as possible before any building development.”