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Lampeter University faces uncertainty as student housing conversion plans submitted

Lampeter Campus of the University of Wales Trinity St David (Pic: Llywelyn2000, Wikimedia Commons)

PLANS to turn student housing at Lampeter University – where a petition was recently launched after fears all undergraduate teaching will end – to private accommodation have been submitted.

University of Wales Lampeter, through Cardiff-based agent Savills, has submitted plans to Ceredigion County Council for a change of use of four-storey Rhoslwyn, 37 Station Terrace, Lampeter to a single residential unit.

Rhoslwyn House, sited close to the university, is currently vacant.

A supporting statement says: “This proposal seeks to repurpose Rhoslwyn House to residential use so that it can be occupied as a family residence, allowing it to positively contribute to the local housing market. Whilst the site’s planning history is slightly unclear, securing a full planning permission for its change of use is important to allow for its marketing as a house and, ultimately, for any purchaser being able to borrow money as part of a mortgage.

“Prior to its use as student accommodation, the property has functioned as a family residence and the proposals seek to return the property to its former use.”

The application will be considered by county planners at a later date.

Less than a week ago, an online petition was launched calling for a sustainable future for Wales’ oldest university, Lampeter, after fears all undergraduate teaching is to end.

The change.org petition, by John Jennings, was started on November 13 and, to date, has more than 4,000 signatures.

It says: “The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) has announced a plan to end all undergraduate teaching at its Lampeter campus by September 2025, a decision that would sever nearly 200 years of Lampeter’s role as a centre of higher education and devastate the local community.

“As alumni, students, and supporters, we call upon UWTSD and the Welsh Government to protect Lampeter’s legacy and commit to a sustainable future for this historic campus.”

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It adds: “Lampeter is not only Wales’s oldest university institution but a pillar of its educational and cultural history. By allowing undergraduate teaching to end, UWTSD would undermine the very essence of Lampeter’s mission, weaken the local economy, and sever its historic role as a centre of learning. The town of Lampeter, the alumni community, and the people of Wales deserve better.

“We urge UWTSD and the Welsh Government to halt the planned end of undergraduate teaching at Lampeter and instead work with all stakeholders to create a viable, sustainable plan for the campus. This must include a serious investment in new courses, marketing, and student recruitment efforts to ensure Lampeter’s relevance and appeal for future generations.”

A spokesperson for UWTSD said: “The university is aware of the petition. We held a very helpful and extensive meeting with our students [on November 13] in which we listened to a range of opinions and concerns which we will be carefully considering as we develop the initial proposals further.

“We are early in the process and as well as our students we are discussing the best way forward with staff and representatives of other key stakeholders.”

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