WORCESTER'S expansion as a university city gathers momentum with every passing year.

We report today how the city's university is becoming an increasingly popular choice for would-be students. Applications for the University of Worcester's 1,800 full-time student places have this year topped the 7,000 mark.

That means almost four people are applying for each available place. And that figure is likely to grow with the further expansion promised by the ambitious plans for a new city centre campus on the old Royal Infirmary site.

The nine per cent increase in student applications is the fourth highest in the country. The university's growing popularity can only be good news for Worcester. A doubling of student numbers is likely when the new campus opens and that has the potential to change the face of the city.

True university cities need to offer a diversity of services and attractions that Worcester may not currently have. Meeting the challenge of an expanding student population will be key for the city during the next decade.

The key element of that challenge will be whether the needs of the student population can be integrated with those of local people. The alternative would be a distinct divide between town and gown' as seen in places like Oxford and Cambridge. Our view is that the latter has the potential to be unhealthy for Worcester, though we accept the former is more difficult to achieve.