Furious local residents fed-up with the anti-social behaviour of KU students are supporting a Liberal Democrat petition to stop an expansion of Clay Hill halls.

 The Lib Dem petition demands that Kingston Council reject all plans to expand the university halls in the Hogsmill River area, next to the Clay Hill campus.

 The party have latched on to unhappiness amongst local residents concerned that increasing the size of the halls could lead to a higher number of trouble making and inconsiderate students moving to the area. 

 Liz Green, Liberal Democrat Councillor for St Mark’s Ward, which includes Clay Hill Campus said: “Doubling the size of the halls which has 700-850 people will lead to more students who can cause anti-social behaviour. It is a small number, about 10 per cent that cause problems but If you double the size of the halls, there could be 20 per cent more anti social students.”

 “Students from the halls of residence and surrounding area are causing anti social behaviour, minor criminal damage, littering, urinating into people’s gardens, they are coming home late from nights out, and generally displaying yobbish behaviour,” she continued.

 The petition includes various comments from residents who have formed their own association as a result of their growing impatience with anti-social students. Miss Green said around 110 people have signed up already. 

“A number of people have had cars vandalised and their wing mirrors ripped off. There is also a problem with students racing cars up and down Burney Avenue, leading to the campus entrance, you have got to look at this from the resident’s point of view,” added Councillor Green.

 Despite Lib Dem descriptions of a community in uproar about anti-social behaviour among KU students, it appears that not all residents are quite as concerned.

 Miss Price lives just outside the Clay Hill campus entrance, she said: “The students have been behaving much better recently, it has been a real problem in the past though. We are not so keen on the idea of extending Clay Hill campus because of all the cars coming past and the noise they create.”

 Steve Right who lives on Burney Avenue said: “For the most part we don’t notice it at all; we are not really affected by it. Thursday nights it can be noisy for some reason, but they are students eh.”

No official plans have been made to develop in the Hogsmill Valley area but the university does have a housing shortage, and this stretch of land running adjacent to the Clay Hill campus and across the sewage works has been earmarked as a possible development site by the university for the past six years.

Deirdre Ferrier, communications officer for campus development from the university property department said: “Land in Kingston is very scarce; the Hogsmill Valley area is one of the few under-used pieces of land in the Borough. The Council has been consulting people about potential future uses for the land. One of the potential uses they have identified is for student residential accommodation.”

 “The University is pleased the Council has recognised the need for additional student accommodation. The University has no proposals to develop Clay Hill (other than providing a multi-use games area for students),” she ended.

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