// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Are wealthy buyers stoking St Andrews' housing crisis?
The popularity of St Andrews continues to grow, putting pressure on local services and the supply of affordable housing
A world class university and the home of golf in a pretty coastal town underline the appeal to many of living in St Andrews.
But the Fife town is in the grips of an affordable housing crisis, where property prices are being stoked by the influence of wealthy buyers from outwith Scotland.
New data shows nearly one in five properties in St Andrews were registered to an address outside of Scotland when purchased, including 164 buyers from the United States alone.
Locals say more needs to be done to improve the balance between serving the town's much-valued students and tourists, and its permanent residents.
The last census put the population of St Andrews at just over 16,000.
But on its busiest days, walking through the town can feel more like navigating the centre of a busy European city.
For locals, the economic benefits of the town's appeal to visitors are clear but the knock-on effect for house and rental prices is taking its toll.
Fife Council has said finding reasonably priced housing in St Andrews is a "major challenge" and has put in measures such as quotas of affordable housing in new developments to try and help.
And the town's university has capped its student numbers at around 10,000 for nearly a decade now because of the pressure on housing and other local amenities.