COUNCILLORS look set to stick broadly with a policy to control the expansion of student lets in York despite a number of criticisms.

City of York Council has carried out a review of its use of “Article 4 Directions”, under which planning permission is required to change an ordinary house in to a house of multiple occupation (HMO) of between three and six unrelated residents.

The policy was introduced in April last year amid growing concerns about the number of family homes becoming HMOs in areas, particularly near the University of York. The review looks at whether the approach is working and what impact there has been.

Coun Dave Merrett said the review had shown the authority had struck a sensible balance, helping to maintain balanced communities, but one adjustment was being proposed to give existing HMO owners more flexibility on HMO usage.

This was because in some instances, landlords had been unwilling to rent properties to families to avoid losing the HMO status of their properties, meaning some families had found it difficult to find rented accommodation.

A report to the Local Plan Working Group said students’ unions at York’s universities said Article 4 had driven prices up, as competition was reduced, and it had forced students to look for houses in new areas not traditionally occupied by students.

Osbaldwick Parish Council said its area had experienced an increase in HMOs as areas closest to the universities reached a threshold set by the council.

But York council officials said overall, stakeholders “seem happy with the thresholds” and two independent inspectors had also supported them, and it was not considered appropriate at this time to amend the thresholds.