The public is being asked for their views about the amount of student housing in Glasgow.

SNP MSP Sandra White is to hold a public meeting to gauge opinion about growing numbers of developments in the city centre and the West End.

She says the city is being “swamped” by student accommodation and has produced a map showing the number of existing and planned sites across the city.

Glasgow City Council say students form 13% of the city’s population, make a “great contribution” to the city’s economy and that rising numbers of developments reflect their growing numbers.

Among the latest planned, is a development of 100 studio apartments on the site of a former playground at Kelvinhaugh Primary in Gilbert Street, by Ryder Architects.

Plans have also been lodged by Candleriggs Ltd for 586 student rooms in the Trongate area, in one of the city’s biggest ever housing developments.

A collection of boutique’ flats is also planned for the former City of Glasgow College Tower in North Frederick Street.

Sandra White, MSP for North Kelvin, said: “Every single piece of spare land in the West End and the city centre is being taken up by student accommodation.

“We are being swamped.

“What do we want Glasgow to turn into? Do we want Glasgow  to end up like St Andrews, which is like a ghost town at the end of semesters?

“I think it’s time for a public meeting. People should be consulted about this.

“These are profiting businesses. They don’t play community tax or council tax.  “It’s about time that we actually looked closely at Glasgow City Council plans.

“What is going to happen when the bottom falls out of the market?

“We should be trying to bring families into the city centre, creating more social housing.”

The MSP said she was hoping to finalise plans for a public meeting, at a city centre location, in the next few days.

Last year the Evening Times reported on a new development billed,“the most luxurious student accommodation”.

The studio flats, managed by Collegiate AC, on North Woodside Road include dinner party rooms, a cinema and private gym and are to be rented out for as much as £257 a week.

Liam King, president of  Glasgow University’s Student Representative Council, criticised the “extortionate” rates saying housing for students in Glasgow was “rarely suitable”.

A council spokesman said: “Glasgow enjoys a great reputation as an academic city, home to three universities, the Glasgow School of Art, the Royal Conservatoire and a number of colleges.  “This enviable reputation means that an increasing number of students now live in the city – in fact they form around 13% of the city’s population.   “These students make a great contribution to our civic and economic life, and the increasing number of purpose-built student accommodation developments reflect their growing numbers.”