DEMAND for student accommodation in Glasgow is higher than any city outside London, according to a new study.

More than 60% of the city's full-time student population were not housed in private or university accommodation in 2005-06, international property advisers Savills said.

The result is a "significant shortage" of student accommodation in Glasgow.

And it appears to back up university leaders' claims that students are becoming increasingly desperate in their search for shared digs.

The study by Savills, on behalf of city letting agent Grant Management, claims 30,121 of the city's 46,471 students last year were not housed in university accommodation or property let from private landlords.

This means they stayed in other accommodation such as with family or friends, said Savills.

And the study found Glasgow has only 16,350 beds in halls or private flats - equivalent to 2.8 full-time students for every bed.

Peter Grant, managing director of Grant, which manages around 200 rental properties in Glasgow, said: "This supply and demand issue is not going to go away and the need for good quality, affordable and safe accommodation will remain strong. "

The figures from Savills put Glasgow top of a league table of net demand for student digs in 30 university towns outside London.

The students' association at Glasgow University has urged the city council to reconsider plans to restrict further planning consents for houses in multiple occupancy (HMOs) in the West End.