Evening News 14 April 2008

CITY COLLEGE BIDS TO ALLAY REDEVELOPMENT WORRIES

TRACEY GRAY
14 April 2008 18:27

Bosses at Norwich City College have tried to allay fears the campus redevelopment will cause disruption and problems for people living nearby.

Norwich City College revealed £215m plans to demolish its current buildings and rebuild the entire Ipswich Road site in December last year.

However, some residents have voiced their concerns claiming there has not been enough public consultation and discussion about the plans, which they fear will have a negative effect on what they regard as a quiet residential area.

On Saturday more than 100 people attended a meeting, organised by the College Redevelopment Concerns

(CRC) group, to air their fears.

Concerns raised included the multi-storey car park planned for the back of the site which some residents claim will be right behind their houses, a ring road bringing traffic round the perimeter of the site and teaching blocks up to five-storeys high.

People said the car park and high-rise blocks will affect the afternoon and evening daylight getting to their homes and gardens and bring round-the-clock noise, light and exhaust pollution.

A spokesman for CRC said: "We wish to state like our neighbours and other local residents that we are college, education and student friendly. We acknowledge that the campus in some areas falls short of what is expected in 2008 and beyond for our local students.

"However, the sudden and unprepared impact brought about by the enormity and scale of the proposals have resulted in causing great concern, anxiety and stress to residents.

"We believe the mass and density of the proposed redevelopment should have had longer and more profound discussion with the residents of Town Close Ward at a much earlier stage in the scheme and design process."

He said the group, whose website address is http://CollegeRedevelopmentConcerns.blogspot.com/, was now aiming to reduce the scale of the proposals and was urging everyone to raise their objections about the principle of the development to Norwich City Council by the deadline of Wednesday, April 23.

However, Dick Palmer, college principal, said: "The college does understand that the size and scale of the redevelopment of the campus poses concerns for many residents. Having lived on Grove Walk I do know what living in proximity to the college is all about.

"We know that the images created by the 'block model' have caused anxieties among some residents. To be absolutely clear, this model does not represent how the college will be built in the future - it was simply created to show the maximum building that the site could support and how there could be greater coherence to the site layout. However, there is no question of covering the campus with large 'block' buildings and this will be clear when actual designs are available.

"We are currently working with our architects to decide upon more realistic designs for any proposed buildings to be built in phase one and this process will continue for the next few months."

A spokesman for the college said it was keeping residents informed with a monthly newsletter delivered to houses explaining what is happening at each stage with the redevelopment.

Ü Do you have an education story? If so contact Evening News reporter Tracey Gray on 01603 772418 or email tracey.gray@archant.co.uk