Special Features

"I've been looking after university students for 25 years," he told Salient. He developed the plans after discussion with a number of persons, and the scheme includes a number of features which will now be abandoned.

For example, it would have been possible to use the building as a short-cut into town. Now that university students will not be in it. two ramps costing £16.000 and one lift worth £13.000 can be avoided.

The total cost of the building would be £496,000, inclusive of the site, which he now owns. This represents a 'cost per square foot of about £7/5/-, well below comparable figures for other hostels.

"The Grants Committee were surprised that the cost could be so low.

"The architects did the plans for nothing." he says. "They were so keen on helping the scheme."