Students from Christ
Church University settle into life in the city during last year's
Carnage pub crawl. Picture: Paul Amos.

SPECIAL REPORT by Adam Williams

Another academic year kicked off
this week across Canterbury as thousands of students either
returned to or began their university lives in the city.

In recent months, debate has raged
in local media, about how town and gown try to be good
neighbours to each other.

An estimated 40,000 students attend
Canterbury's three universities and further education college each
year, generating money and employment for the local economy.

Meanwhile, residents are
fearful proposed changes to legislation governing applications
for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) could tip the balance
between student lets and family homes. Concerns have also been
expressed over the anti-social behaviour of a minority of
students.

Samantha Kennedy, vice president
(welfare) at Kent Union, represents the interests of more than
16,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of
Kent’s Canterbury campus.

This summer she started a Right To
Rent campaign on behalf of the university, in response to city
council plans to limit the number of student lets across the
city.

Samantha (pictured left) hopes
to address a number of key issues in the year ahead.

She said: “We’re trying to get
across to people that students are a diverse population and it’s
the minority that cause the problems, such as litter, noise and bad
parking, for the rest of them.

“Students bring a lot to Canterbury
and we want to convey that the stereotypical student isn’t how
every student behaves while they’re here.



“At this time of year, the message to students living in
residential areas is go out and meet your neighbours. Introduce
yourself, it’s much harder for someone to be anti-social towards
you once they’ve put a face to a name. Ask them what day the
rubbish gets collected, where the nearest shop is, when the buses
run, get to know them.

“Treat them with respect, as that’s
how you would want to be treated. When it comes to exam time later
in the year, you will want to be shown some consideration and won’t
want loud barbecues in the back garden or children screaming in the
night.”

Sorry, this video asset has been removed.

Video: Samantha Kennedy
talks about the year ahead for students.

St Michael’s Road finds itself at
the front line of the ongoing student versus residents debate.

During the summer, several
properties in St Michael’s Road, St Michael’s Place and surrounding
streets were subject to planning applications seeking a change of
use from residential to a house in multiple occupation (HMO). Some
were granted planning permission, others rejected.

The St Michael’s Road residents
association is now working to try to maintain a sense of
community between families and students.

Chairman Terry Westgate (pictured
right) is keen to hold on to that, as another academic year
begins.

He said: “This year we have begun a
new initiative. We have produced a 16-page booklet, with students
input and supported by local businesses, that we will be handing
out in person to houses later this week.

“It’s all about trying to get them
involved in what’s happening in the community, to sign up and join
the residents association.

“We’re not anti-student, we’re
trying to integrate them into the community, tell them what their
responsibilities are and what’s expected of them.”

In Forty Acres Road, four students
are back in their rented home for another year. Housemates Steph
Garlick, Naoimi Kelly, Colum McGuire and Georgina Fletcher are
typical of thousands from the city’s universities and college who
will be living among employed and retired families for the next
nine months.

Students Naiomi Kelly,
Steph Garlick, Colum McGuire and Georgina Fletcher.

We asked each one of
them what life in a student let is like, and gauged their
reaction to recent media coverage on the city’s growing student
population and the detrimental effects it can cause.

NAME: Naoimi Kelly

AGE: 20

HOMETOWN: Derry,
Northern Ireland.

STUDYING: Third
year BA Hons art practice, Canterbury College.

NAOIMI SAYS: “Not
all students fall into the stereotype of being loud and noisy.

“A lot of us want to live in a nice
house in a nice quiet area, with a garden so that we can sit out
and relax and enjoy the company of our friends. We want the same
family atmosphere that others do, rather than just going out all
night, every night getting drunk.

“When we first moved in here, we
made the effort to introduce ourselves to neighbours.

“We baked them a lemon drizzle cake
with chocolate, so they loved us after that!”

NAME: Colum McGuire

AGE: 22

HOMETOWN: Ruislip,
north west London.

STUDYING: Third
year BA Hons English and American literature, University of
Kent.

COLUM SAYS: “It’s
a shame some people have decided to brand all students a nuisance.
They seem to forget a lot of us do contribute to the city in terms
of money and employment. We’re residents here as well at the end of
the day.

“It’s not a quick thing to change,
it’s something we need to work on over a long period with residents
associations. There’s no surprise though that some students are
reluctant to do that, when you see what’s written on the letters
pages of local newspapers every week.”

NAME: Georgina Fletcher

AGE: 20

HOMETOWN: Enfield,
north London.

STUDYING: Third
year BA Hons English and American literature, University of
Kent.

GEORGINA SAYS:
“I’ve moved away from London to get away from a busy city
environment and a lot of us have come to Canterbury because it’s
quiet, close to the countryside and coast, with a green campus and
we want to respect that.

“Some people don’t realise that
we’re actually here to study, that we pay £3,000 a year for an
education. We’re not just here to party for three years, we have to
get up early and juggle work and social lives just like anyone
else.”

NAME: Steph Garlick

AGE: 20

HOMETOWN: Reading,
Berkshire.

STUDYING: Third
year BA Hons English and American literature, University of
Kent.

STEPH SAYS: “When
we moved in here last year, I was really looking forward to the
experience of living in the city and with mates in a house.

“In my first year, I lived in
Elliot college on campus, so I was just a room on a corridor,
nothing more. I wanted to feel part of a community and live the
same kind of experiences that residents do on a daily basis.

“Being in a house in the city is so
important as it makes you feel more a part of the community.”

What do you think? Comment
at the bottom of this story or emailkentishgazette@thekmgroup.co.ukor write to Gazette House, 5-8 Boorman Way, Estuary View
Business Park, Whitstable, CT5 3SE.