YUSU have stepped in to try and ensure the building of 250 new student flats, amidst increasing complaints of excessive noise and litter.
Black Lion LTD has applied to build the new student accommodation on an area of Lawrence Street which has since fallen into disrepair and become a popular location for squatters.
In a letter to the City of York Council, YUSU outlined their support for the development, whilst also accepting the significant concerns of local residents. They pledged to help implement ‘Night Marshalls’ in order to maintain acceptable noise levels.
The move comes following concerns of excessive noise levels in student areas. Complaints have skyrocketed by 17% in the last year with officials citing an increase in student house parties as an alternative to going out.
Mike Southcombe, environmental protection manager at City of York Council, said: “There is increasing evidence that more and more people are staying in at weekends and having parties at home, which inevitably leads to more complaints about noise in residential areas.”
The City council have responded by increasing funding to the infamous York ‘Noise Patrol’. The group were responsible for 41 notices being served in the last year, and seizing 11 sets of noise generating equipment.
Additional funding from the safer York partnership will allow the Environmental Protection unit to carry out increased patrols over the course of freshers’ week in an attempt to curtail an expected spike in student misbehaviour.
The group aim to “provide advice to students on how to control noise and provide assistance to those affected by noise.”
Councillor Dafydd Williams, cabinet member for crime and stronger communities, praised the groups work saying: “Excessive and persistent noise is a genuine nuisance and the noise patrol team in York is renowned for the role it plays in helping to reduce this problem. This extra funding which has been targeted where we know noise problems traditionally arise will help ensure that some people’s fun doesn’t spoil that of others.”
YUSU President Kallum Tayor said: “YUSU have been doing a lot of work with the Council and local residents’ groups to reduce noise complaints, and it’s a big part of the Joint Community strategy that I launched with the Mayor and Council last week. We’re really committed to reducing these sorts of complaints and improving the perceptions of students in the city.
“That said, we’ve all got to be realistic. Thousands of young people in a small City are going to cause some disturbance, and I don’t expect our students to walk around in silence.
“On the other hand, they’ve got to appreciate that we’re living amongst local working families and older people who have the right to feel comfortable in their own homes. We’re doing a lot more than most students’ unions to help students get along better with their neighbours and the vast majority of residents, as well as the Council, have been really appreciative of our efforts.”
As a bellringer I am somewhat concerned with the fact that the new accommodation blocks on Lawrence Street are right next to the bell tower of St. Lawrence’s church. If there are already issues of noise in the area they should really put something in place to help students cope with the noise of the bells without people trying to silence them.