THE Bristol university that wants to build a campus in Swindon has signed an agreement to build next to Coate Water.

This was one of the revelations from the first day of an inquiry into the controversial plan to build 1,800 homes and a university campus on land near Coate Water.

Government appointed planning inspector, David Richards, is a key figure in the decision over whether the Swindon Gateway Partnership’s (SGP) plans can go a ahead.

During the next few weeks SGP will square up to Swindon Council and a host of objectors to the plans.

The announcement that the University of the West of England is in cahoots with SGP is a blow to the council, which has been trying to tempt the university to its favoured town centre site.

Now the council has suggested that if its own North Star site is unsuitable to UWE then the abandoned Oakfield Campus would be a better alternative to Coate.

Christopher Lockhart-Mummery QC, representing SGP, said: “UWE have long sought to establish a campus in Swindon.

“When the University of Bath withdrew in early 2007, it renewed its efforts. Having carefully studied the Central Area, especially at North Star, it rejected the option and committed itself to the appeal site.

That commitment is now expressed in the most unambiguous way possible, namely a legally binding contract.

“A contract has been executed between the partnership and UWE, providing for the phased transfer of the 60 hectares of university land, together with obligations on UWE to seek funding for a university at Swindon. It is baffling that the council seek to reject this unique opportunity.

“We would hope the council would wish to embrace this opportunity and work to facilitate rather than attempt to frustrate it.”

Anthony Crean QC, for Swindon Council, said: “The appellants and UWE now contend that the North Star site is neither suitable nor viable for a university campus. This is not accepted.

“But, even if it is true it does not follow that consent should be granted for a university campus at the appeal site.

“This is because the Oakfield site offers a better, more central, more sustainable location than the appeal site, which will bring forward regeneration benefits.

“It was operated successfully as a university location by Bath and it has an allocation in the development plan for tertiary use.

“There is nothing in the evidence of Mr Rushforth to suggest this site is unacceptable for UWE’s purposes even if North Star turns out to be unsuitable.”

The other issues being debated by the two sides include the housing and employment allocations of the site, which the council believes is unjustifiably based on the original University of Bath proposal, and the effect the plans would have on Swindon’s Development Plan.

Grievances surrounding a primary school site and the retail content of the plan have been settled by the two sides.

The inquiry is in response to an appeal lodged by SGP after Swindon Council failed to make a decision on their application.