Letter: Is Shrewsbury prepared for university upheaval?
The range of subjects for BSc and BA degrees at the new university centre in Shrewsbury is very impressive, and it is remarkable that the commencement is only 12 months away with apparently so little of the necessary infrastructure in place.
The new university centre can be a great success if it attracts top flight lecturers and dedicated students.
Are the investment and pump priming funds available for the council and IP&E Ltd to fund the teaching laboratories, lecture theatres, halls of residence and IT of a modern university teaching centre of excellence? Will the centre attract high calibre lecturers?
The estimated £60 million income to the local economy roughly equates to around 6,000 students in terms of fees and living costs, which if realised will greatly boost the Shrewsbury economy and may also allow more of the county's school leavers avoid the high costs of having to live away from home whilst studying.
One hopes this project has been rigorously assessed to ensure the full social and economic impact has been examined. I understand in Chester some areas suffered drops in property prices as student areas became established.
The University of Wolverhampton (with a Telford campus) provides a range of very similar courses, therefore will there be sufficient demand for places in Shrewsbury?
This is an ambitious and exciting project, of which, we hope, Darwin would have been proud. Its success will depend on the highest calibre of decision making and good governance at the top level of Shropshire Council and Chester University.
Roger Dunshea, Whitchurch
