THE council wants a further 5,000 students at the University of York and sees Badger Hill as the ideal place to house them.

All us locals will just have to relocate to Germany Beck or Derwenthorpe, won't we?

So what if we have happily lived here for 40 years and used the local shops, pubs and schools.

Why should the council care - it's not on their doorstep, is it?

Andrew Hay, Nursery Gardens, Osbaldwick, York.


A City of York Council spokesperson said: "The university has applied for planning permission to expand its Heslington Campus on to a new site south of Field Lane.

The university's proposed new campus would accommodate 5,400 (full-time equivalent) students. The campus would employ 2,000 staff and up to 2,500 jobs would be in new research facilities.

The university has volunteered to offer accommodation on site to all those students who want it. It is projected that 3,300 student beds will be provided as part of the development.

The planning application was submitted in April 2004 and, in March 2005, following extensive consultation, the council chose to support the application. The impact of the university expansion on the surrounding residential areas, particularly Heslington Fulford and Badger Hill, were considered in reaching this decision.

The application was referred to the Secretary of State and is the subject of a planning inquiry. This inquiry reconvenes on October 19.

Neither the council nor the university have any plans to relocate residents from Badger Hill or allocate areas of Badger Hill for student housing."