Student leaders have hit out at the two St Andrews councillors who supported introduction of a moratorium on houses in multiple occupation (HMO) in the town.
The president and a director of the University of St Andrews Students’ Association, Owen Wilton and Siena Parker, told councillors Robin Waterston and Dorothea Morrison banning new HMOs in the town centre was against all logic.
In an open letter to the councillors, Mr Wilton and Ms Parker said, “Time and time again we have explained that an HMO ban would not be a silver bullet solution that would automatically resolve all of our housing problems in St Andrews.
“Moving students out of the town centre will not necessarily make affordable housing available for local families on average incomes, because properties in the central conservation area are prohibitively expensive and out of the reach of all but the wealthiest couples, second-home owners and golf tourists.”
Concerns voiced during the committee debate about deterioration of the town centre, they claimed, revealed the extent to which a “a vocal and privileged minority” exercised disproportionate influence over decision-making.
Defending his stance, Mr Waterston highlighted the “dwindling” permanent population in the town centre and said, “If numbers continue to diminish the maintenance of a sustainable mixed community will be seriously jeopardised.
“There is a price premium on properties suitable for HMO conversion, and the aim of the new policy is simply to reduce or remove this premium.
“All planning policy aims to place restraints on pure market forces in the interests of wider community benefit, and this is no different. The pejorative phrase “social engineering” is very misleading.
As no existing HMO licences would be withdrawn, he argued there would be no displacement.
Mrs Morrison said, “The university has indicated that they have no plans to increase student numbers and that they are more likely to decrease in the near future.
“What the students appear to be implying is that they wish only students to live in the conservation area and permanent residents should move to the outskirts.
“I believe I took the correct decision last week and as Siena and Owen grow older they too may come to realise what we were striving to protect in the best interests of Scotland’s most important small historic town.”