A COUNCILLOR has said that plans for a new university campus have provided the perfect opportunity for a new primary school.

The University of Cumbria recently launched a public consultation into plans for a new £77.5 million campus in Carlisle city centre - something that could partly be funded by the sale of the university's Brampton Road Campus.

Carlisle City Councillor for Stanwix, Elizabeth Mallinson, said the Brampton Road Campus could accommodate a new school if the university was to "decant" from the building.

It is thought that the move could help provide additional school places in Stanwix - something that Cllr Mallinson said has become an issue with the increasing number of developments in the area.

"I am very concerned about the lack of provision for primary school children north of the river due to the fact that over the last 20 years we have had big [housing] developments," said Cllr Mallinson.

"There are major developments that have already been built, or are in the process of being built, and now there is another planning application for 101 affordable homes at Lansdowne Crescent.

"Where are these children going to go?

"I have suggested that once the university decants from Brampton Road Campus to the centre of Carlisle, then there is an opportunity for an education establishment to be recommissioned to be used as a primary school."

Director of Finance and Resources at the University of Cumbria, Kate McLaughlin-Flynn, said: “It is the intention is that these two existing campuses are vacated and sold to assist with funding the new city centre campus project.

“Work is still being done with partners to explore future uses for the two sites.

“Currently proposals involve fully vacating Brampton Road and it is the ambition to vacate the majority of Fusehill Street campus and retain the residences there, yet work is continuing to identify the exact parts of the university’s estate and specialist educational facilities in Carlisle that will be retained for future university use.”