More than 1600 University of St Andrews students have signed up to vote in local and national elections to exercise their democratic rights as residents of St Andrews.

The move comes after councillors voted to impose strict quotas on the number of houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) in the town.

Student leaders said the move will negatively impact those who study in the town as it limits the number of properties which can be rented to groups of three or more people who are not related.

A petition has now been set up to encourage students to register to vote in local and national elections and remove the HMO ban.

Lewis Wood, student association president, said: "When students choose to relocate to St Andrews, they invest in a future here, whether this is for five years or for 20.

"It may be that a large amount of students have a short-term residence here, but residents they are, and in their time here they truly do see themselves as part of the community."

The university is backing the campaign and currently investigating ways to allow students to register to vote automatically when they matriculate.

A spokesman said: "The university stands foursquare with our students.

"They have not only been treated shamefully by some individual councillors, but appear to have been denied the right to speak at the Fife Council committee, while other local residents were invited to be heard.

"What sort of model of democracy is that? The council has taken a decision while ignoring the views of half of the people who live in St Andrews. By any standards, that is bad government.

"Students have been residents of St Andrews for over six centuries and are integral to the town's prosperity and the fabric of this community.

"It is time for a new model of representation which ensures elected representatives are accountable to all who live in and contribute to the town, not just a vocal minority."