Sheffield to sell off halls of residence

Students at Sheffield University are angry that their halls of residence are to be sold on the open market.

All the university's residential properties were to be transferred to Unite, a commercial firm specialising in student property, on a 30-year lease. But that deal has fallen through and instead more than half the student beds will be sold to the highest bidder.

Kate Willingham, Sheffield Union Welfare Officer, said: "There has been no consultation with students, staffing unions or within the university as a whole. We believe that rents will rise above the rate that students can afford."

University spokesman John Pyle said: "This will free resources for academic and facilities development, which will benefit all students, and enable us to make available at reasonable prices the sort of accommodation students will want."