£30m plan for campusapproved

The board of governors of the University of Chichester have backed the far-reaching scheme.

The go-ahead means that the campus, off Upper Bognor Road, will see student numbers more than double by 2016. The present 1,150 students will soar to 2,400.

This represents an extra 12.5m annual boost to Bognor's economy. Each student is reckoned to generate 10,000 for the host town each year. The number of staff working at the campus will rise as well from the current 177.

The changes will be the most radical at the campus since it creation in 1946 as a teaching training college.

The historic buildings, such as The Dome, will survive and be adapted to the new courses.

A host of new buildings will spring up, subject to planning approval, behind them. Some older buildings will be pulled down to make space. Mr Baker described them as being unfit for purpose.

The first sign of the changes will be the arrival next September of the first 30 graphic design students.

Their number will grow in the coming years as the other new departments begin to take shape.

But it is likely to be 2011 before any major building work starts on the campus.

The aim is to complete the work five years later. The sports facilities could be in place for the 2012 London Olympics. Mr Baker said the intention was to use them as part of the legacy of the games.

The sports buildings and those used for music will be open to the public as part of the intention to put the campus firmly in the community. 'We are looking at the Bognor campus becoming essential to the social and cultural life of Bognor,' Mr Baker said. 'We want people to come on to the campus rather than just see it as a place behind the flint wall.'

Mr Baker added that the college had begun to work closely with Arun and West Sussex councils to overcome any problems about its expansion.

Top of the list was the need for more parking spaces. 'We know we have to solve the parking issue,' he added. 'We have got to get a solution to that.'

Neighbours will be invited to talks about the matter. The need for an access for construction traffic would also be considered.

The teaching degree courses will move to Chichester as part of the change-round. Student numbers there will stay unchanged at 3,100.

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