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Ricky on the Road to ruin thecourieronline.co.uk · Issue 1240 Monday November 28 2011
The Independent Voice Of Newcastle Students
Est 1948
• Halls set for demolition
Wills Robinson News Editor Kat Bannon Editor
The iconic Richardson Road halls of residence are to be demolished as part of a proposed University accommodation strategy. The �lats, that currently house over 900 students, will be knocked-down and rebuilt in three stages as part of large scale programme of improvement to Halls of Residence across campus. With a reputation as one of the most lively and sociable student environments not only within Newcastle University, but across the country, the destruction of Richardson Road will come as a shock not just to current undergraduates, but past students dating back to it’s �irst residents in the 1970s. The strategy will see the overhaul of the current design of Ricky Road, creating entirely en suite facilities. This falls into larger plans across all the university halls of residence to make 50% of the Universities’ accommodation en suite. The project projections suggest rent prices could increase by approximately £10 per week, increasing the yearly cost by around £380. Further changes include the provision of at least one shower between every three residents and wash basins in even the most basic residences. In an interview with The Courier, the point was raised to Newcastle University’s Housing Manager Paul Bandeen as to whether this was an operation in pro�it over student expe-
rience. However, Bandeen suggested that the rise will still mean that Newcastle accommodation remains one of the cheapest: “We’re currently in the lower quartile of accommodation rent prices in the country and that’s the position we want to remain.” The strategy also includes the demolition of a major part of Henderson Hall and the refurbishment of Old Hall, alongside investment into all of the other accommodation sites. New student accommodation will also be built at Kensington and Park Terrace, which are currently occupied by University of�ices. This speci�ic project, including the initial demolition of the current building, will cost the University around £9.5 million, and is set to be completed in 2014. Explaining the reasoning behind the strategy, Bandeen stated that the halls, better known to students as Ricky Road, had “reached the end of its lifespan. “Richardson Road is starting to fail in a number of ways, such as infrastructure, utilities and heating. All we will do now [if it is not demolished] is spend considerable amounts of money standing still, which we don’t see as a viable option. “We can’t do anything within the �lats themselves because of how it is constructed. Continued on Page 4
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