Planning regulations on student houses must be tightened to provide a long-term solution to anti-social behaviour in the Holyland area of Belfast, a University chief has urged.
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University of Ulster vice chancellor Professor Richard Barnett commended the agencies who worked together on St Patrick's Day to minimise disorder during the festivities.
But he stressed the response involving intensive patrolling by police, council and university officials and mobile CCTV cameras was only a "sticking plaster" on a long-standing problem that had yet to be tackled.
Eight people were arrested in the Holyland on Wednesday for offences including disorderly behaviour and assault, but disturbances did not reach the scale of last year's riots.
A significant quantity of alcohol was confiscated and in one incident, equipment was removed from a house on Palestine Street where loud music was being played.
Around two thirds of the properties in the area are designated as houses of multiple occupancy, the majority of which are rented by students.
Mr Barnett said issues including the culture of drinking to excess also had to be tackled by the Government.
"While progress was made yesterday, we also have to acknowledge the situation in the Holylands continues to cause considerable distress to local residents and we will continue to work with them to look at a long-term solution," he said.
"Yesterday was only a sticking plaster and there will need to be a long-term solution."
Litter
SDLP South Belfast MLA Conall McDevitt has said that while revellers were contained and managed, it remained unacceptable to turn the area into a street party without the consent of long-term residents.
"I was in the area all day yesterday with several volunteers and representatives from the inter-agency group and the efforts of all involved ensured that things did not get out of hand," he said.
"Although the partying did not descend into violence, the by-products of this such as noise and litter are unacceptable and unfair on the long-term residents."
Residents have criticised the PSNI, which maintained a heavy presence in the area all day, over their handling of the day's events.
A member of the Holyland Residents' Group claimed that not enough was done by officers deployed in the area.
"It really was shocking," Ray Farley said.
"Palestine St this morning was about a foot deep in bottles and tins in the middle of the street."
In pointing out that on-street drinking is an offence, Mr Farley added: "I saw for a fact that quite a number people who were drinking simply had the bottles taken off them, confiscated, turned upside down and they were sent on their way - nothing happened to them.
"So if you let people carry on, obviously they're not going to throw stones and bottles at you because you're letting them do whatever they want - you're just letting the rule of law go out the window and that's what happened last night."
Police have said a huge amount of effort went into their operation.
Acting District Commander, Supt Chris Noble said: "We are aware that some residents have expressed concern about a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour, particularly in the Holyland area.
"We are committed to listening to those concerns and together with our partners proactively addressing them all year round - not just for St Patrick's Day."
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