Officers at the City of York Council are recommending that two large new student developments get the go-ahead, despite opposition from local groups.

The first proposal outlined by Horwell Bros Ltd involves a four storey block containing 84 bedrooms on Mansfield Street in the city. The second will involve 106 bedrooms on Percy Lane - an area already popular with students and home to several large blocks already.

The recommendation is set to be spearheaded by development management officer Diane Cragg who cites York's emerging local plan which emphasises the importance of students to the city's 'social vibrancy' and economy. The report also cites student numbers as being over 23,000 for the academic year 2013/14 with 20,000 of those students studying full-time.

The accommodation is definitely needed with student numbers set to rise by the thousands in coming years.