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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Swansea University second campus still lacks a business plan
March 21, 2012 3:01 PM
The Welsh Liberal Democrats Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black, has expressed his concern after the Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science Minister told the Welsh Assembly today, that she has not yet received a business plan for Swansea University's second science campus.
Edwina Hart told Assembly Members that the University has plans for a £350m development in two stages on the Fabian Way site, starting in summer 2012 with a completion date of 2015. As part of the funding for this project the University is seeking a £15m grant from the Welsh Government and £15m of European grant funding. However, with the clock ticking, the Minister is still to receive a business plan that will enable her to release this money.
Commenting on the admission, Peter Black said: "This project is already significantly behind project and is once more facing a significant deadline, and yet the Welsh Government is still waiting for the all-important business plan so as to consider handing over much-needed funding.
"Given the time it will take for the Welsh Government to properly evaluate and scrutinse the business plan when it is received, it is difficult to believe that the university will be able to get the project off the ground this summer.
"This tardiness on behalf of the university authorities raises a number of questions as to the sustainability of this project. Is the university being too ambitious? Do they have the capacity to deliver a scheme of this size and scale? Is it affordable and in particular, are the University able to raise the additional capital money they need and can they guarantee the income streams needed to keep it going once built? Are there problems in attracting the 5,000 students and the rent they bring with them to live so far out from the City Centre?"