DEVELOPERS are expected to resubmit plans for a controversial student village because of the extra demand generated by a new technology campus.
Last Friday, the University of Chester announced it was being gifted Shell’s Thornton research site which is being closed down, with most of the work transferred to Germany and the US.
Bell Developments, who are still keen to deliver their 2,300-bed student village on green belt land between Blacon and Mollington, have jumped on news the campus will house up to 500 students by 2019.
In January, their student village application and accompanying Sir Steve Redgrave sports Institute was narrowly rejected on the casting vote of the chairman of Cheshire West and Chester Council’s strategic planning committee by five votes to four.
Bell director Mike Bell said this week: “With the acquisition by the University of Chester of Thornton Research and the further increase in student numbers we now have an obligation to the Chester Business Club, The Hoteliers Association, the schools of Blacon and the residents’ associations of Chester, who initially supported our application, to ensure that our student village provides the city of Chester with the answer to the ‘studentification’ of the city that these groups have opposed.”
But university vice chancellor Tim Wheeler urged caution before proceeding with any large capital schemes.
He said: “We do not envisage such additional student numbers in Ellesmere Port as impacting significantly on Chester’s accommodation provision.
“Thornton will be non-residential and because of the nature of the curricula to be offered there, we fully expect a high proportion of recruitment will involve part-time students and those who have, or aspire to have, close associations with the region’s engineering, chemical and automotive companies and therefore commute from home.
“Similarly, the food technology centre, currently being built on the university’s main campus, will provide a working environment for university researchers, who are staff, not students.”
Friends of North Chester Greenbelt said in a statement: “Nothing has changed; there is still no justification for a 2,300-bed student accommodation development on Chester’s precious green belt.
“Properly planned, incremental development of managed student halls, integrated into the life of our city, is the way forward.
“This is in line with the much-heralded One City Plan which was recently signed off by the leader of our council and the chair of Chester Renaissance.”
