Expansion plans for Bath Spa University, which could see an extra 800 students living on campus, have been unveiled.

A public consultation exercise has been launched to allow people to give their opinions on the university's proposals for the next 20 years, which include a number of developments at its Newton Park campus.

It is planning an improvement to academic facilities, student accommodation and social space.

An exhibition of the proposals will be open to university staff and students on Thursday, before being available to the wider public on Friday and Saturday.

The plans aim to tackle the controversial issue of where students should live, outlining proposals to build accommodation for up to 1,200 students on campus.

However, some of these rooms will replace the current 393 beds at Newton Park, meaning eventually there will be an extra 800 students living on campus.

The plans follow calls from the city's Liberal Democrats for both of Bath's universities to move more students back into halls of residence, to free up houses in areas of the city such as Oldfield Park.

So far discussions have taken place between the university and key bodies such as Bath and North East Somerset Council, English Heritage and the Duchy of Cornwall, which owns the land the campus is built on.

The developments are designed to improve facilities for the current level of student population and are not intended to fuel an expansion in undergraduate numbers.

The expansion plans have been announced as the Government warned that the higher education sector would have to tighten its belt in the next few years.

The expansion plans have been announced as Business Secretary Lord Mandelson warned that the higher education sector would have to tighten its belt in the next few years.

They also come as the Government announces the introduction of tough regulations for landlords who provide housing for students.

Under new laws any landlord who wishes to turn a family property into shared rented housing with multiple occupants will have to apply for planning permission.

Councils are already allowed to run licensing schemes for landlords who rent housing with multiple occupants (HMOs), but at the moment only properties that are above a certain size are affected.

The latest plans would give councils the power to broaden out licensing schemes to include all shared rented houses, and so tackle poor quality properties and rogue landlords.

Bath MP Don Foster said he welcomed the announcement: "HMOs play an important role in providing affordable housing, but a dense population can have serious effects on the local community. It is great that the government has finally realised this and changed the law."

Anyone who cannot attend the exhibition can view the information on the university website from Friday at www.bathspa.ac.uk.