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By JANE KIRBY, News Editor
UNIVERSITY BOSSES are set to fork out over £4 million In an attempt to rectify structural problems In UEA's top-spec accommodation. Nel on Court, Constable Terrace and the Village are to undergo a major overhaul, following the di covery of faulty bower pods, wall linings and heating systems. this purpo e." A total of 360 rooms will be stripped inefficient background heating sy tern - 12 per cent of UEA' s accommodation UEA will also splash out cash to caused by a reaction between water, capacity. redecorate the piu b residences. piping, and the heating element. The University plans to get back the "We might as well do it at the same Speculation also surrounds the use of cash by taking legal action against time," said Mr Preece, "It is money that medium density fibreboard, which has would have been spent in the future." companies involved in the construction, been absorbing water from the showers. however Team Management who The news of the repairs comes as the R G Carter Limited and Wate developed the Village went bust last £12.3 million Village approaches its Construction who built Nelson and third birthday and ju t four years after Constable refusod to comment on the April, and in urers may have to cough Nelson Court and Constable Terrace overhaul, commencing in September. up for the eo t of repairs. Nevertbele , UEA Director of were completed. And Rick Mather Architects, who Communication , Alan Preece is designed the buildings Problems certain that the whopping £4 million unavailable for comment. can be recovered. Students have also expressed Since developers began work on the ''The fact that we are prepared to 713 room site in 1993, the Village has confusion over the University's pursue it through the court is a clear been plagued with problems; including motives for carrying out the work indication of the advice we have been bower floors sloping the wrong way, during the semester, thus forcing them given that it is possible to regain all of kitchen windows opening no more than to move from Constable to Nelson over the co t," he aid. a few centimetre , and the discovery of the Chri tmas vacation. mouldy mattresses. Frustration Inconvenience Back in 1994, Concrete also "One would not expect these exclusively revealed that 52% of ''The University do not seem to care residents in the Village felt the if they are eau ing inconvenience," said problems to occur and it i very. very fru trating ... accommodation offered poor value for one tudent living in Nelson Court. He also revealed that until the eo t of money. "If you count the number of times the work can be regained, The present problem in the £47.70 we will be moving in and out, it adds up accommodation bo es will be dipping per week en-suite rooms results from to a ridiculou amount." "ponding"; with shower water failing to into UEA's back-up funds . "Is thi really the only solution?" ''The University has managed its drain properly, eau ing penetration and Centre But Accommodation taining of walls and ceilings. finances quite prudently and has Manager, Laurence Daly denie the ufftcient reserves to pay for the work," Nelson Court and Constable Terrace University is trying to protect its he said, adding, 'They are built up for face further problems involving an Continued on Page 2
Accommodation Centre Manager, Lsurence Daly In front of Nelson Court
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