Ilam residents want the Christchurch City Council to prevent their streets from turning into "ghettoes" and "slums" because of booming student accommodation.
Monday, April 5th 2004, 2:20AM
by The Landlord
A residents group asked the council's regulatory and consents committee to look at ways to stop houses being converted into buildings with several bedrooms but few other facilities.
Resident Duncan Mangels told the committee people were unhappy with what was happening in their neighbourhood in and around Siska Place.
"A recent trend in the area is to convert two and three-bedroomed houses to six bedrooms without increasing the living and utility areas. There are now at least five of these accommodation premises in close proximity."
Mangels said in another case two adjoining houses in Clonbern Place were adapted to accommodate students by converting one house into bedrooms and the other into a communal kitchen and dining area.