A PROPOSAL to provide special accommodation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students at the University of Central Lancashire has fallen at the first hurdle.

Students at UCLan failed to support the idea despite some other universities feeling under pressure to provide the LGBT community with their own halls.

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The suggestion came from one of the students who put it forward on UCLan’s new online voting system, which aims to give people a voice and a chance to come up with new ideas.

Student Union president Josie Linsel said: “An idea relating to housing for LGBT students was proposed by one student but it did not generate the amount of votes necessary to be debated on or created as policy by the Students’ Council.

“Therefore the Students’ Union currently has no plans to campaign on behalf of students for LGBT-specific accommodation.”

The idea has been condemned by Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans who said that although well-intentioned it was likely to cause more harm and have unintended consequences.

Mr Evans, who came out as gay in 2010, said: “The last thing I want is segregation for LGBT people.

“I want them to be treated as full members of the student body; to separate into little enclaves is not right and I don’t see the merits.

“It’s almost like the star that the Jews used to sew on to show they were different and could result in unintended consequences such as alienation of some members of the LGBT community.”

Mr Evans said he would be concerned also about individuals feeling under pressure to live only in the accommodation provided. He said: “As someone who is gay, I never had this and I’m really pleased I didn’t.”

A spokesperson for UCLan, which has a campus in Burnley as well as Preston, said that it worked with the Students’ Union to encourage a supportive environment for all students, regardless of sexual orientation, race, disability, gender or nationality.

Birmingham University is the only institution in England that offers an LGBT housing option for those who do not want to share with straight students.

Some students claim that there is in fact a need for separate accommodation to protect them from homophobia.