Consultation over campus plan flawed, say campaigners

Aim to build homes and business ‘clusters’

Campaigners challenging a plan to develop the University of Kent campus are demanding the “flawed” public consultation be restarted.

University Challenged, a group set up by people living in the Tyler Hill area, has accused the institution of failing to properly consult with people on its vision to create new homes, business ‘clusters’ and a park and ride on fields between the existing campus and Blean.

The university unveiled the concept in May and held two exhibitions at Blean village hall in August.

But Anthony Mooring, who lives in Tyler Hill Road and set up University Challenged, says the events were not properly publicised, resulting in a low turnout.

He claims the university failed to deliver information leaflets to the correct area and that posters he had put up asking people to have their say were taken down.

He adds many people are still unaware of the masterplan, despite the first consultation ending on September 21.

“There are three consultation stages and we would like the first part to be redone,” he said.

“Or if the university has already started the process of the second stage we think this ought to have, at the very least, a much longer consultation period than would normally be allowed.”

He said leaflets had not been delivered in the Blean area so many people were unaware the exhibitions were taking place.

“When I spoke to one of the corporate communication spokespeople, he said everyone in the area had been sent a leaflet,” he said.

“I spoke to people in the CT2 postcode, which is Blean, and no one had.

“At the second exhibition I questioned one of the representatives and she said it was a mistake and they had been delivered to the CT6 postcode, which is Chartham.”

Despite offering to do the leafleting, Mr Mooring said he was told they would be left in the Tyler Kiln pub instead,

In an attempt to tell people about the consultation he put up posters on property along Tyler Hill Road but claims they were swiftly taken down.

“They were advertising the uni- versity’s own website about the plan,” he said. “Is having your say wrong?”

He has now set up a website for University Challenged so people can comment on the plan.

Rob Davies, spokesman for Canterbury City Council, said the posters had been removed following a complaint.

“We received a complaint by a local resident regarding flyposting on public land such as telegraph poles and grass verges. These materials were removed by Serco at our request.”

Dr Alan Holmes, chairman of the Canterbury branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), is also calling for the first stage of the consultation to be redone.

In a letter to the university, he said: “We are concerned that you are no longer accepting comments on this plan, despite having failed to send your leaflet to people in the CT2 area.

“In the circumstances, it would in our view be wrong for you to proceed with the next stage of the plan on the basis of such a flawed attempt to engage the public.

“We therefore request that you start the consultation again in a proper manner.”

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