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The ‘Chaucer Fields’ Proposal. UCU Meeting May 2012. What is local people’s concern?. NOT an objection to more student accommodation on campus NOT necessarily an objection to the building of a conference centre on an appropriate site
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The ‘Chaucer Fields’ Proposal UCU Meeting May 2012
What is local people’s concern? • NOT an objection to more student accommodation on campus • NOT necessarily an objection to the building of a conference centre on an appropriate site • BUT a deep concern about development on this particular site
Reasons against development on the southern slopes • A rich historical and natural landscape – a ‘mosaic environment’ • Green space which is a valued amenity • Designated as ‘Open Space’ in the Local Plan, in an Area of High Landscape Value • Irreplaceable views across the fields to the Cathedral and World Heritage Site • The University’s reputation locally
Alternative sites? • YES • For example • The land between the Business Innovation Centre and the new Keynes accommodation • The ‘central woodlands’
A second local concern • An inevitable increase in noise and disturbance for local residents • Close proximity of seven accommodation blocks to local housing • Increase in disturbance from night-time/early morning transit between town and campus
Would the development decrease the number of HMOs locally? • NO • All the evidence indicates that student halls of residence act as a hub which attracts HMOs to the area. • Any decrease in the number of HMOs would be only in more outlying areas of Canterbury where concentration is not a problem anyway.