700 University of East Anglia students moved amid fears about crumbling concrete
They've been learning where they'll be staying over the next term - after some of the campus accomodation was declared off limits
Around 700 students at the University of East Anglia have been given new accomodation, after some of the housing on campus was declared off limits for safety reasons.
Rooms in the Norfolk and Suffolk Terrace, as well as the top floors of Nelson Court and Constable Terrace were closed last week, as they contain RAAC.
The type of concrete is prone to crumbling, potentially leading to the collapse of buildings.
Two Norfolk hopsitals and a school have already been affected by the use of RAAC during construction.
All affected students were sent an email by the UEA's accomodation office yesterday letting them know about their alternative accomodation.
Around 600 will remain on campus, albeit in different rooms.
A further 170 are moving into in private accommodation in St Crispin’s House on Duke Street.
All of the students at St Crispin's will get access to either a free bus pass or a voucher to buy a bike.
UEA bosses say there will be no financial impact on students, as their new rooms will be either equivalent or better than what they were expecting.
Vice-Chancellor Professor David Maguire said: “A lot of hard work has gone into minimising disruption for our students and I’m very pleased that we’re now in a position where every relocated student knows where they are going to be moving in to when they arrive with us for the new academic year.
"It’s been a huge logistical challenge to find accommodation for around 750 students at such short notice but this has been completed successfully.
“I would like to thank our students for their patience while we’ve dealt with this change, and I remind you that additional support is still available via our Student Information Zone.
"We’re very much looking forward to welcoming our new students over the coming days and weeks as they settle in to their new life at UEA.”