The party, which is the second biggest on Sheffield Council, will next week ask the entire authority to call on the Government to tighten the rules on so-called houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).

At present planning permission is not required for landlords wishing to turn a former family home into student accommodation, as long as it is not converted to cater for more than six residents.

But the Lib Dems insist that this must be changed and are asking for new planning powers for the city council which would allow elected members and planners to "control levels of
student housing".

According to the party, the problem is particularly concentrated in suburbs to the north-west of the city centre, including Broomhill, Crookes and Walkley, where "large amounts of housing is occupied by groups of individuals, usually students, rather than families".

Liberal Democrat group leader Coun Paul Scriven said: "As a councillor for Broomhill I am well aware of the problems that an unbalanced community can cause.

"There can be issues over waste, parking and noise that can cause real tension.

"At the moment family homes can be bought up by developers and let out to a group of individuals, usually students, without any permission as long as they are for less than six people.

"Of course we all welcome students to Sheffield, but what we are saying is that there needs to be control so that communities don't just become student areas."

The issue of students moving into certain areas of university towns and cities has long caused controversy, with residents complaining not only about noise and litter but also about student properties falling into disrepair.

It has also been suggested that local people have been priced out of the market because landlords have forced up prices when buying houses to let to students.

According to Sheffield's Liberal Democrats, HMOs are having "a detrimental effect on communities where too many of these shared homes can eventually lead to communities becoming unbalanced and unsustainable".

They will table a motion to this effect at next Wednesday's full council meeting and will ask their colleagues from all parties to put pressure on the Government to change the rules.

Coun Scriven added: "By changing the law and requiring planning permission for changing the use of family homes, local councils can have some degree of control over the types of housing in an area.

"This would allow us to get the correct mix of permanent residents and students, which is good for all concerned. We hope that the whole council will get behind our proposal."