Parish councillors have called for an “urgent meeting” with city figureheads to try to resolve the student accommodation “crisis” in Durham.

The sight of lengthy queues of students, some sleeping on the streets, to try to secure housing for the next academic year is said to have “shocked” members of The City of Durham Parish Council.

Parish chair, councillor Alan Doig, said the scenes, which have even featured in the national news, “are a cause of great concern to us all”.

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He said the parish council will be seeking a meeting with Durham University, Durham Students’ Union, Durham County Council and the city’s MP, Mary Kelly Foy, to try to resolve the issue.

Read more: Durham University students sleep on streets to secure accommodation

In a public statement, he said: “The Parish Council has been shocked to see the scenes of students queuing outside estate agents in the city in the desperate hopes of securing accommodation for next academic year.

“The scenes have hit national headlines and are a cause of great concern to us all.

“The City of Durham Parish Council will be writing to Durham University, Durham Students Union, Durham County Council and the local member of Parliament to seek an urgent meeting to try and resolve these issues.

“No individual or organisation should rush to the conclusion that this housing crisis is caused as a result of a lack of private-rented HMOs (houses of multiple occupation) in the city.

“Indeed, the statistics show otherwise and in fact we have seen outlying areas of the city also experience an increase in private student accommodation.”

Coun Doig questioned whether or not there had been a reduction in private-rented accommodation in the city, claiming the suggestion, “has no basis in fact.”

He said: “Be in no doubt that this issue is caused primarily as a result of landlords releasing their properties into the market almost immediately and the university’s obsession with an unsustainable expansion policy, which is driving permanent long-term residents out of the city.

“This expansion policy is in no way accommodation-led and the university’s aims of having 50-per cent of students ‘living-in’ university accommodation is nowhere near to being achieved.”

He said the parish council is calling on the university to move forward urgently with the six PBSAs (purpose-built student accommodation) it pledged to develop in the examination in public into the County Durham Plan in 2020, and to make these affordable.

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Read more: Durham University student housing crisis worsens as students queue overnight

City MP, Ms Kelly Foy, has described the situation as, “absolutely ludicrous” and said it appears to have hit, “breaking point.”

But Durham University said the accommodation situation is of "concern" and is receiving its "urgent attention."

A statement issued by the university said: “We have reassured all our students that we will support them in finding suitable accommodation either in college or elsewhere.

“We cannot exert control over the private rental market.

“We have seen some deplorable behaviour by letting agents and landlords in Durham, putting up prices above inflation and releasing properties much earlier than usual.

“We have put in place a package of financial support to help students through the cost of living crisis.

“Like many other UK universities we were obliged by the late change in A-level grade boundaries to take in a larger than usual student cohort in 2021.

“We reduced our intake this academic year,” adding that will be the case for the 2023 intake.

“We also join Universities UK in calling for increased hardship funds and grants for UK students nationally.”

The university said it was sympathetic to the concerns of its students.

“It concerns us and is receiving our urgent attention.”

But the university said: “There is enough accommodation in Durham for the next academic year, based on current plans and our knowledge of the situation.

“Durham will support all of its students in securing accommodation.”

The statement added it wants to ensure students can make “informed choices” over their living arrangements, “without feeling under undue pressure to make decisions.

“This includes working with our partners, including Durham County Council, letting agents and private landlords.”

The university added that it will “continue to engage” with Durham County Council, our local MP and our student leaders.”

It has established a housing group, chaired by a pro-vice chancellor for colleges and student experience, including an input by student leaders, to ensure, “we plan early and carefully for next academic year while continuing to address the current issues related to student housing.”

Read next:

                What it was like queuing for student lets in Durham City

                Fury over yet more student accommodation plans for Gilesgate in Durham

                Durham resident hits out at plans to turn home into student lets

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