Regulations have been proposed in Bath which would ban new shared houses being developed if a fifth of nearby properties have already been converted.

The feasibility study into how to limit houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) has been commissioned by Bath and North East Somerset Council as part of a drive to reduce social problems in areas which have a high concentration of student homes.

Parts of the city, such as Oldfield Park, have seen a sharp rise in HMOs in recent years and residents have expressed concerns about the impact on their communities.

The council is now considering implementing an Article 4 direction, which would stop the conversion of properties into shared houses where 20 per cent of homes within a 100-metre radius are already that type of accommodation.

It also wants to impose tighter licensing restrictions so landlords of HMOs have to do more to improve the upkeep of houses, reducing the environmental impact on neighbours.

The study report said the combined approach would stand the best chance of tackling the issues that mattered most to local people.

It said: "It is the most resource intensive of any of the options for the council, but it may be the most effective at helping Bath to create balanced and sustainable communities, both in the immediate and longer term, while seeking to manage some of the perceived environmental degradation linked to the existing concentrations of HMO activity in Oldfield Park, Westmoreland and Widcombe."

The issue was discussed at a meeting of the council's planning, transport and environment policy development and scrutiny panel on Tuesday.

Councillor Marie Longstaff (Con, Keynsham East) said residents had expressed concerns about some areas of the city turning into "ghost towns" during the Christmas and summer holidays when students were not there, leading to fear of crime and also a lack of community cohesion.

Councillor Caroline Roberts (Lib Dem, Newbridge) said it was important to remember that HMOs did not just serve students, but also young professionals who struggled to afford Bath's house prices or rents on their own.

Councillors also raised concerns about whether the city's two universities were doing enough to take responsibility for providing suitable housing for their ever growing numbers of students.

Carey Gilliland, a partner at estate agents Madison Oakley, said he did not think the council's proposed approach would work and that instead it was important to make sure landlords were providing high quality HMO accommodation.

He said: "One of the major concerns that people have about HMOs is the messy front gardens for example, so if you started to solve that side of things, then potentially you are part of the way there.

"There are enough rules within the scheme at present to make accredited properties comfortable and safe for the residents of that street. If we follow the accreditation then there should be less impact on the other residents in the area."

He added that students lived in areas such as Oldfield Park because of the good bus links with the universities, so attempts to spread them around the city may not work.

The issue will be discussed by the council's cabinet in March, when a decision is likely to be made about whether to progress with the process and start a consultation with the public.