9:54am Friday 7th November 2003
By Alex Brown
PLANS for Brunel University’s Osterley Campus were up for discussion last week following a consultation process that attracted widespread interest and concern that the 20 acre site could be given over to private housing.
It has also emerged that an international ballet school has shown interest in the site, after facing being made homeless from Brunel’s other base in Twickenham.
The University wants to leave its campus on the Great West Road between Osterley Tube station and Gillette Corner, by 2005. It was first used as a learning centre in 1890 and includes the Grade II listed Lancaster House.
Almost 150 people attended two public meetings on June 26 and 27, where concerns were raised that the campus will go from educational to residential use.
At the Isleworth and Brentford Planning Committee meeting on Thursday (October 23) councillors heard how West Thames College and Isleworth and Syon School for Boys are keen to use and maintain the sporting facilities.
Cllr Barbara Reid, who chaired the meeting told the Times the planning brief, which will go to full council approval later this year, needed stronger emphasis on education: "It was very loose, we didn’t feel it was strong enough. There’s a strong demand from everybody that schools can use the site.
"We feel it should be enshrined in the planning brief."
The north of the Osterley campus is mainly open space, with playing fields, a running track and tennis courts.
“In the southern and eastern parts, there are a number of lecture rooms, a health centre, student accommodation, and the three-storey Lancaster House, fronting onto Borough Road.
The Rambert Ballet School, has shown interest in the Esme Woodland building, and the George Little Complex at Osterley where it would create five dance studios, class rooms and other facilities for around 100 students.
Director of the school Dr Ross McKim told the Times: "We became independent from Brunel university last month, and we have to leave the Twickenham site, where we have been since 1979, by 2005.
“Our first hope is to relocate to the Osterley campus. The Osterley site suits us down to the ground. It’s in a leafy part of London and a good environment for our students, but we are looking at other options."
Cllr. Reid welcomed the possibility of Rambert moving in: "That’s very interesting and absolutely an ideal site."
It’s expected that the planning brief will now go to the Sustainable Development Committee on November 10 for a decision on whether to allow the scheme.
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