People are concerned about students dominating this area of Leeds

People are concerned that if developers build more student flats in Little London and Woodhouse they could lower house prices and 'help to create a student monoculture'.

That is according to Leeds City Council planning officers, who have outlined these concerns in a report on plans to build an eight-storey building that contains 88 studio apartments for students in Park Lane - less than 10 metres away from another block of student flats. 

The development is expected to get planning approval, but objectors, including Leeds Central MP Hilary Benn, say there are already too many blocks of student flats in the Little London and Woodhouse area of the city.

According to council figures, there are currently around 4,000 student rooms in eight different developments, between Burley Street and Kirkstall Road, and in Little Woodhouse students make up 76 per cent of the population.

The planning officer's report states: "If the council approves yet another student housing block in the area, it will help to create a student monoculture.

A map of the Little London and Woodhouse area of the city (Leeds City Council)

"The long term impact of an increased concentration is that, rather than having a mixed and diverse urban community (including students), more private houses will be turned into ‘student lets’ thereby reducing the number of houses available to residents of Leeds."

It adds: "Several objectors stated they believed this proposal would result in house prices falling in the area."

Despite the objections, the plans for the Park Lane development, which also include a cinema room, gym, common room and sun terrace, are expected to be approved at a meeting on Thursday, May 9.

The site which has been earmarked for the development has been vacant for 15 years, but it is just 7 metres away from a block of student flats called 'Concept House'.

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