OXFORD Brookes University is at a tipping point and has pledged to ‘review’ its student accommodation portfolio as the faculty struggles to cope with a surge in demand for places.

It was revealed this week that the university has around 3,800 students living out in the community, despite the institution having an Oxford City Council-imposed cap of just 3,000.

And now the council has warned it could block the construction of any further teaching facilities, such as a new engineering block, altogether if the university cannot close the gap.

Council leader Bob Price said: “Oxford City Council’s Local Plan has a limit of 3,000 students living out in the community, as opposed to student accommodation, and if that cap is breached, the city council can choose not to grant planning permission for new teaching accommodation.

“Brookes are at about 3,800, but this doesn’t affect (the cap) at all.

“A new engineering department would be affected, but they have lots of plans for expanding student accommodation.

“By 2019 they will have another 1,300 student units.”

The news comes as revelations this week warned that crime, alcohol and drug abuse would all rise as a homelessness ‘epidemic’ grips the city.

Headington councillor Ruth Wilkinson called the news that Oxford Brookes was already above its cap ‘a disappointment’.

She said: “It's disappointing that the numbers of Brookes students living out is so far over cap.

“There is an acute shortage of affordable housing in Headington. Key workers in schools, hospitals and care homes are finding it difficult to retain staff.

“Developers are competing to buy properties and land from residents along London Road so they can build more student accommodation blocks.”

In response, Oxford Brookes University spokesperson Natalie Gidley said the university ‘remains committed’ to closing the gap.

She said: “The University recognises it has exceeded the target and coupled with other factors relating to our student residential provision, this has led us to undertake a review of the University’s current portfolio of student accommodation and future needs.

“Since 2010, the number of students seeking accommodation in Oxford during their studies has risen from 64 per cent to 70 per cent.

"This shift is likely to be due to a decline in postgraduate students and students recruited from Oxfordshire, who often choose to live at home.

“As a result we have produced a summary of our developing strategy for student residences for our Oxford based campuses, which gives an overview of plans over the coming years.”