DESIGN plans for the £120 million refurbishment of Lancaster University's Bailrigg campus have been attacked as "cheap, banal and of poor quality."

City planners will be asked to approve the PFI scheme, drawn up in conjunction with construction firm Jarvis, on Monday and officers have recommended approval.

But there are an increasing number of critics opposed to the plans including students, Ellel and Scotforth residents, the Civic Society and university staff.

The redevelopment will include knocking down five of the current colleges to construct 1,750 rooms in new buildings, some six storeys high.

There will also be a new A6 access road onto campus.

Under the PFI scheme Jarvis will cover the construction costs in return for student rents over the next 30 years.

Students say they have not been consulted about the expansion proposals and fear the rents will be too expensive.

Local residents are concerned about increases in traffic, the visual impact of the tower blocks and the threat of floods due to storm water filling local becks.

But the most vocal criticism has been aimed at the design of the new scheme.

The Civic Society has said it "strongly opposes" the utilitarian design which is of poor quality and uses cheap materials.

They have called for a more sympathetic, holistic design with greater use of open space, landscaping and artworks.

In an open letter to campus staff, two engineering lecturers expressed concern about a number of aspects of the plans and said: "The external design of the proposed new buildings on the main campus is flat, uninteresting and totally lacking inspiration.

"The banality of the finished buildings, if the proposed designs are implemented, will not offer an image of the university that will inspire its members or attract new students."

Dan Thompson of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) said: "We feel that the quality of the architecture falls so far short of what can be expected of a significant university.

"The scheme should be reconsidered and we would be strongly opposed to it being permitted in its current form.

We think that a fresh start is needed."

Lancaster county councillor and former county college student, Jonathan Sear, added: "I hope the Planning Committee has the courage to refuse permission.

I am not opposed to 6-storey buildings in principle, but the design would need to be of a high standard and these proposals fall a long way short of the mark.

The university also creates a huge amount of traffic in Lancaster and councillors need to know how far the university bosses are prepared to go in promoting traffic reduction measures before deciding whether the development should go ahead."

"Colleges such as County provide a very acceptable standard of accommodation and there is nothing to be lost by putting a bit more thought into the proposals, and consulting students about what they actually want.

We need to get out of the habit of putting up buildings that need to be ripped down after 30 years."

l Under the terms of the proposed partnership, Jarvis will provide the £120 million capital for the new build.

Lancaster University will manage the scheme, taking responsibility for letting the rooms and for certain services such as cleaning and portering.

Jarvis will benefit from the rent revenue from approximately 2,300 existing rooms, out of the university's current stock of 4,700 rooms and will also receive the revenue from the new build accommodation.

After a period of approximately 35 years, the accommodation reverts back to the university.

A good deal for the university or quids in for the developers? Write to our letters page with your views or e-mail paul.wilkinson@lancaster..newsquest.co.ukv