‘University has opportunity to leave lasting legacy in Jordanstown’

The Alliance representative was speaking after meeting with UUJ officials to discuss the university’s plans to build over 600 new homes on the site of its current Jordanstown campus.

Cllr Campbell said: “The University of Ulster has been a huge part of Jordanstown for many years and in leaving the area I believe it has an opportunity to not only safeguard its legacy, but also continue to make a real difference to the local area.

“I am concerned at the plans to build over 600 new homes in the area, especially with an education and health infrastructure which is already stretched.

“The current primary school in the area is already over-subscribed and there are no local health facilities. While there is an area designated within the plans as community space, it doesn’t seem large enough to cope with the demands the new inhabitants would bring.

“I met with the university to outline my concerns with their plans. And I requested specifically that their plans should consider supporting a school and a GP’s practice.”

He added: “I am concerned about the scale of this huge development which comes at a time when another housing development is planned for construction adjacent to the site. There will be a huge impact on the Jordanstown area with the loss of students studying there, but also with the development of such a large amount of new homes. At present the local primary school is oversubscribed and there is a notable lack of medical facilities as it is. I would hope that as an educational establishment keen to create a legacy the appeal of a new school on this site would be strong.

“It was a very useful meeting and I am looking forward to hearing back from them on any decisions to revise the plans.”