RESIDENTS in Blacon seem unimpressed with a consultation by developers behind a 3,000-bed student village.

Bell Developments organised a series of sessions at Dee Point Centre to explain its £200m campus plan, plus community sports facilities, on green belt land between Blacon and Mollington.

Bell is backed by residents overrun by students in the Garden Lane and Handbridge areas and argue the student village will be good for Chester and the University of Chester.

But on Monday more than 40 residents, mainly from Poet’s Corner in Blacon, were busy plotting their campaign against the scheme they would overlook.

Yvonne Jones, of Browning Close, told a meeting at The Little Owl pub: “We have a lot of support from our local community and surrounding areas and a lot of professional people too. Stephen Mosley MP has said he does not think the proposal can prove a case for using green belt land.”

A petition against the plan has so far attracted more than 1,000 signatures.

Mrs Jones added: “They think Blacon people will just lie down and accept this but by the response I have had so far, this is definitely not true.”

Also in attendance was Andy Scargill, from Parkgate Highfield Residents Group, fresh from a meeting with university Vice Chancellor Tim Wheeler who reportedly told him there was sufficient demand for a student village of that scale.

“Tim was laughing. He can’t understand where they have got the figures from because he says no-one in their right mind would consider putting money into a project which is virtually bound to fail.”

But developer Mike Bell told The Chronicle there was unmet demand for 2,500 students, adding: “I genuinely believe it’s right for the city and university.”

He said the university was second most improved in terms of the student experience in a recent survey but still only ranked at 43rd in the UK.

“It used to be in the top 10 but it fell outside the top 50 and I feel the one thing lacking is the accommodation.

“The fact they have only got 4% overseas students – what’s stopping them coming is the accommodation and they run the risk that if it’s not sorted out the university declines rather than improves.”

People can attend an exhibition at Holy Trinity Church, Blacon, on March 24 from 3-8pm.