Finances to decide Ambleside campus future

The future of the University of Cumbria’s Ambleside campus hangs in the balance as bosses revealed it may not be financially viable to reopen the site which was mothballed two years ago.

Speaking to Ambleside Civic Trust’s AGM, Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Liz Beaty said that Ambleside would have to make a ‘strong case’ for itself, because the University would not return if the figures 'did not stack up'.

She said the two high risk factors influencing decisions are that property values from disposal of excess buildings in Ambleside won’t be adequate to produce the income needed to re-develop the core campus, and that higher tuition fees would lead to a further drop in student applications and subsequent loss of student income.

The meeting was told it could mean fewer than 500 students would be expected at Ambleside by 2014.

Ms Beaty said prospective purchasers have been given five weeks to make sealed bids for buildings, including the old Kelsick Grammar School, Hilltop and Springfield.

Meanwhile, campaigners living on a housing estate next to the campus are celebrating an announcement that if the project does go ahead, the University will not use their roads to access the site.

Residents of Greenbank and Castlefield had objected to proposals to allow construction traffic through the estate, forming a residents' association to fight it.

Julie Ward of Castlefield said: “This is excellent and fantastic news, and proof of people power. It would have had a devastating impact on all our lives, with the noise, pollution and time scale.”

South Lakeland District councillor for Ambleside, Heidi Halliday said: “Together with the Greenbank and Castlefield Residents Association and the local parish council, we have worked extremely hard to get the university to re-route this traffic.

“This is a residential area with young children and we felt strongly that heavy construction traffic would be detrimental to daily lives. To hear this latest news is wonderful for all concerned.”

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron said the move was the 'reasonable and right thing to do'.

A spokesman for the university said work on a ‘full and sustainable’ business case for re-opening the campus continues, with the University Board set to consider it next month.

A statement read: “The university, in agreement with the Lake District National Park Authority, has started a general marketing campaign to establish the value of surplus properties identified for future disposal.

“Potential buyers have the opportunity to submit ‘expressions of interest’ through a sealed bid process as some of the detail provided by these buyers will be commercially sensitive.

“It is important to note that this process is about clarifying values, it does not mean that the university can dispose.

"Only when the value of these properties is determined, and the income that could be generated from any disposals for full recycling back into the development is known, will the university be able to assess the full potential for the long-term redevelopment of the site.

“The university will continue to listen to the views of the Ambleside community. Although there are still a number of challenges that the university has to overcome to deliver the project, it is committed to working with the local community and partners to ensure a positive outcome for university staff, students and the wider Ambleside community.”

The University of Cumbria’s statement in full:

"Although the university has had confirmation from the LDNPA that its Master plan for the redevelopment of the Ambleside campus is in conformity with their ‘Ambleside Campus Supplementary Planning Document, work continues on the preparation of a full and sustainable business case for the site for approval by the University Board in November.

"A major strand of this sustainable business planning process is related to confirming the potential income that could be generated by the disposal of the surplus Ambleside estate.

"The university in agreement with the LDNPA has therefore started a general marketing campaign to establish the value of the surplus properties identified for future disposal.

"Potential buyers have the opportunity to submit ‘expressions of interest’ through a sealed bid process as some of the detail provided by these buyers will be commercially sensitive.

"It is important to note that this process is about clarifying values, it does not mean that the university can dispose.

"Only when the value of these properties is determined, and the income that could be generated from any disposals for full recycling back into the development is known, will the university be able to assess the full potential for the long term redevelopment of the site.

"The university continues to make substantive progress to address a number of key issues raised by the Ambleside community during the Master plan pre-application consultation exercise.

"Site inspections with contractors has taken place which indicate that anticipated construction traffic for the phase one construction works could be accessed from the south of the site.

"This would consequently remove the need for construction related traffic to be directed through the Castlefield/Greenbank estate.

"The identification of new student accommodation within the Master plan confirms the potential long term need for additional student accommodation at Ambleside.

"However, the university has recognised that the outline location for this new accommodation in the form of a single block at the north of the site has been a concern for local residents.

"The university is therefore looking to remove the student accommodation from the phase one development and run a separate consultation process with local stakeholders to determine where this additional accommodation might best be located in the form of additional options to the current location.

"The university will continue to listen to the views of the Ambleside community.

"Although there are still a number of challenges that the university has to overcome to deliver the project, it is committed to working with the local community and partners to ensure a positive outcome for university staff, students and the wider Ambleside community."