THE woman who led a campaign against the 'studentification' of Stanmore has rented her house on the estate – to students.

Amanda Chard spent months warning that the former council estate risked "all-out war" between residents and students if landlords continued to buy up family homes.

Now she has moved to Badger Farm and leased her three-bed house in Drayton Street for £360 a week. It has led to allegations of hypocrisy from one of the ward's three city councillors, who felt her campaign damaged their efforts to integrate students into the community.

Cllr Derek Green said: "It's rather hypocritical, isn't it? I'm very disappointed with her personally. I didn't think she'd ever do something like that."

Ms Chard brought "a lot of people along with her" to rally against the loss of family homes to students, he said.

Hampshire Chronicle:

Cllr Green added: "Now she's done exactly the same thing, which is very hypocritical."

Ms Chard declined to comment when approached by the Chronicle on Tuesday.

Last year Stanmore HMO Lobby fought unsuccessfully to bring forward a clampdown on student landlords on the estate, predicting a surge in buyouts. A petition warning that the growing student population put the community at "breaking point" gathered more than 300 supporters.

“It’s not far off all-out war between long-time residents, who’ve been here for 15 and 20 years, and students," Ms Chard said last year. "I keep imagining The Simpsons, when they’re going around with the pitchforks.”

Restrictions known as an article four direction, forcing landlords to earn planning permission before converting to houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), are due to be introduced next year.

But ward councillor Jamie Scott, who spoke in favour of the petition at full council in February, said: "I don't know if article four will be effective, to be honest. It does nothing to say that these houses in the future will not be turned over to lets for students.

"That seems to be quite a difficult thing, people realising that wasn't ever going to be the case."

Council leader Stephen Godfrey suggested this month that the measure could spread to other areas as Winchester University's housing shortage leaves more freshers renting privately in Winnall, Highcliffe and Weeke.

Meanwhile, complaints of loud parties, overflowing bins and anti-social behaviour in Stanmore are beginning to re-emerge at the start of this academic year, but councillors are keen to highlight the positive reaction of most students to their welcome brochures.