CAMPAIGNERS will urge planning chiefs to throw out plans for a 2,500 student hub arguing the controversial development is pointless.
Bell Developments submitted a planning application to the council on Friday, for what will be Chester’s first ever student village, incorporating state of the art sports facilities, on greenbelt land dividing Blacon and Mollington.
Andy Scargill, a lead member of the Poets Corner Residents’ Group, Blacon, which is fighting the proposals, said: “We are in the middle of preparing a statement for panel members urging them to look at the facts in relation to this proposal. The reality is there is no evidence of demand for such a development.
“We as campaigners will state our case based on fact. Let it be clear that we are fully in support of the University of Chester and we celebrate everything the university stands for and offers the city, but the university has probably reached capacity apart from overseas students and the likelihood is that many students will look to seek accommodation locally, therefore the proposed accommodation is not required.
“Accommodation is an issue but this can be solved by means of using the city’s brownfield sites of which there are many. A student village development at the proposed location would be pointless as it would be isolated.
“It is still our belief that we need better accommodation but we do not need the quantity of build that the developers are proposing.”
Mr Scargill added that campaigners are feeling positive about the application and hoped the right decision would be made.
A sports hall, basketball and badminton courts and ecology ponds are among the facilities proposed as part of the student village.
If approved, work will begin in 2013, with the final phase expected to be completed in 2015. A full sized football pitch and trim trail are also included in the plans.
Members of the Poets Corner Residents Association were joined by Chester MP Stephen Mosley, local councillors and residents for a mass protest close to the proposed site.
Campaigners also intend to take their case to the Secretary of State if the plan is approved by Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC).
Protestor Yvonne Jones, who has been opposed to the plan since it was made public, led the protest.
She said: “We will not give up our precious greenbelt without a fight.
“People have to be aware that if this greenbelt land is taken from us then it will set the precedent for greenbelt to be taken across the city. We are not prepared to let that happen.”