Most Yorkshire universities want to expand their international recruitment to boost income when the new tuition fees system is brought in despite the threat of tighter rules being imposed over who will be allowed into the country to study.

Higher education bosses are warning that restricting access to foreign students could result in a serious drop in funding for mainstream universities which run English language and pre-degree foundation courses.

Academics fear that plans, announced by the Government this month, for tougher English language requirements for people wanting to come to the UK to study below degree level could prevent many students from going on to study degrees full-time at Yorkshire universities …

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Plans have been unveiled to develop the old Jewsons site in Bangor into accommodation for 162 students.

An application has been submitted to Gwynedd Council by Hughes Bros Ltd of Llangefni to demolish the existing buildings at Penlon Works on the High Street and build seven new ones.

The plans will also see a creation of new parking and landscaping works …

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Plans for a £400m university campus which could eventually create 10,000 jobs and pump £37m a year into the local economy have taken a major step forward.

Neath Port Talbot councillors yesterday granted outline planing permission for the £200m “phase one” of a planned science and innovation campus for Swansea University on a site at the eastern end of Fabian Way, the main route into Swansea from the east.

Swansea University officials hope to link with major private partners such as Rolls Royce for research and development projects on the campus …

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Facilities management supplier Derwent FM has won contracts for the provision of services at two student accommodation schemes in London. The Derby-based company said the two contracts were valued at £500,000 per year.

Derwent FM will supply full facilities management services to Willen House on Bath Street in London, which provides accommodation for students studying at City University. The company will also supply FM services to Derwent Point in Islington.

Both contracts have been awarded by Infrastructure Investments and have contract periods in excess of ten years …

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ISG has won a £38.8m contract to build student accommodation for Imperial College London and its development partner Voreda.
 
ISG will create studio accommodation for 606 postgraduate students across four separate, nine-storey concrete frame blocks on the site as well as three residential, three-storey timber frame structures. Designed to achieve a BREEAM excellent rating, the student development includes roof mounted photo voltaic cells and a CHP system …

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A multi-million pound plan to build new student digs in the heart of Paisley has been given the thumbs-up by Renfrewshire Council.

Bosses at Paisley’s university are to spend almost £14million on the new accommodation block, which will be built on the site of the current car park in Storie Street.

It will house 340 students who are taking part in courses at the University of the West of Scotland …

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Councillors in Borough and Bankside have welcomed the decision of a Government inspector to uphold Southwark Council’s proposal to require developers of purpose-built student accommodation to provide affordable housing.

Southwark is the first borough to introduce such a policy. The proposal has been endorsed by a Government inspector appointed to examine the council’s new core strategy planning document.

The new council policy requires an element of affordable housing to be provided as part of student schemes, either on site or via cash contributions …

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Southwark Council’s planning committee refused planning permission for Helical Bar’s redevelopment of the 200 Great Dover Street site in February 2010.

Helical Bar appealed the decision and a public inquiry was held last month at Southwark Town Hall.

The developer argued that the “high quality modern development” of student accommodation and offices designed by Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands would “enhance the setting of the church” …

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In a direct warning to vice-chancellors, the Government said it would be forced to slash university budgets to cover the increased cost of student loans.

David Willetts, the Universities Minister, insisted serious pressure would be placed on the public purse if institutions attempted to “cluster” fees at the maximum possible level.

The comments come just days after Imperial College London became the first university to formally declare that it wanted to charge a flat rate of £9,000 for degree courses …

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Residential developer Berkeley First has exchanged contracts with a new student fund advised by Knightsbridge Student Housing regarding the forward sale of the former BBC Costume Store in Acton, west London.

The sale will complete once the development is ready for occupation by students of University of the Arts London in September 2012.

The fund paid more than £60 million for the site, which represents the second acquisition for Knightsbridge Student Housing …

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