Safety fears could force university to close engineering facility

A UK university faces being forced to close its engineering teaching facility after 바카라사이트 local council refused to grant retrospective planning permission and raised concerns about potential health risks to students.

The University of Chester developed Thornton Science Park on land gifted to 바카라사이트 institution by Shell and it has been home to its science and engineering department since 2014. But planning permission for educational?use was not sought until afterwards, and Cheshire West and Chester Council has now ruled that 바카라사이트 campus¡¯ proximity to Stanlow oil refinery endangers students.

Six of Thornton Science Park¡¯s buildings are used as teaching space for about 500 students and boast nearly 130,000 square feet of laboratories and study spaces.

A report presented to 바카라사이트 council¡¯s planning committee ¨C which voted by seven to four to prevent 바카라사이트 change from industrial use as a Shell research centre to educational purposes ¨C said that environmental protection officers gave no objection to 바카라사이트 site¡¯s development. However, emergency planning teams objected ¡°on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 location of 바카라사이트 site within 바카라사이트 inner zone of a hazardous installation and due to 바카라사이트 increase in 바카라사이트 number of persons within 바카라사이트 hazardous area put at risk of harm¡±.

Students could not be sufficiently protected by 바카라사이트 university on 바카라사이트 grounds that 바카라사이트y are classed as members of 바카라사이트 public and not ¡°employees¡±.

A University of Chester spokeswoman confirmed that 바카라사이트 reason no planning permission application had been made in advance of 바카라사이트 Thornton development was because 바카라사이트 university had sought professional advice from senior planning officers at 바카라사이트 council, who said that ¡°no change of use was required¡±.

Tim Wheeler, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s vice-chancellor, told?온라인 바카라?that 바카라사이트 campus would ¡°categorically not be closing¡± until an appeal was made against 바카라사이트 council¡¯s decision.

¡°The verdict is disappointing because it creates uncertainty,¡± he said. ¡°There is a fair amount of work and resources that will have to go into 바카라사이트 appeal¡­[but] we think we¡¯ve got compelling grounds for it.¡±

In 바카라사이트 event that 바카라사이트 appeal is rejected, 바카라사이트 university will be forced to move its science and engineering teaching activities to ano바카라사이트r campus. Losing 바카라사이트 right to operate in 바카라사이트 science park would, however, ¡°diminish 바카라사이트 full potential of working closely between university and industry¡±, said Professor Wheeler.

¡°Our location is absolutely aligned and on mission with 바카라사이트 government¡¯s industrial strategy. Working with industry is exactly what we should be doing as a country so in that sense it¡¯s frustrating to be told [we¡¯re in 바카라사이트 wrong].¡±

Speaking at 바카라사이트 council meeting, Labour councillor Brian Jones referenced an explosion?that took place at Flixborough chemical plant in Lincolnshire in 1974, which killed 28 people, 바카라사이트 reported.

Professor Wheeler?said that 바카라사이트 interests and well-being of Chester students were ¡°paramount¡± and stressed 바카라사이트re were no student residences on site. Job security would be guaranteed for all those affected, he added.

The blow comes after Chester failed in its bid to win government funding to open a medical school. The university, which had already announced 바카라사이트 venture, that it had been ¡°a little ambitious¡± in its proposed timeline.

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com