Action Against Acton
The College’s plans for undergraduate accommodation in North Acton are ill-thought-out and must be opposed
What’s the point of widening participation and encouraging the brightest minds to apply to Imperial – if they’re then not going to be able to afford to come. Or worse, can just afford to come but get placed in a hall in North Acton?
For the last six months, I and the Deputy President (Welfare), Becky have been arguing against the North Acton development that will probably replace Evelyn Gardens – and now, the probable closure of Garden Hall too. College has listened, and even, I’d go as far to say, accepts that North Acton isn’t a good plan – it’s an insurance plan in case something better doesn’t come along. What worries me is that they’ll now stop looking for alternatives.
What makes me think that? The College’s news article on the subject tries to sell the project as something positive for students. I’ve provided a short dissection of the news, from my – and, now, thanks to the Executive Committee’s response – the Union’s point of view.
The full news story can be found on the College website.
“Plans include a student lounge and coffee shop, restaurant and bar, gymnasium, newsagent and print shop, cinema room and study centre, as well as facilities that could be used by Imperial College Union.”
This almost sounds as though the Union was complicit in the plans; I was thoroughly against them. Coffee shops, restaurants, print shop, newsagent and bars (all run by College) are duplicating services normally found on campus and just extorting more money from students. Eastside 2.0. On the flip side, inclusion of these service at least shows that College is aware that the hall is too far away for South Kensington to be useful for students…
“Simon Harding-Roots, Chief Operations Officer at Imperial College, said: “The quality and design of this development will be outstanding. It presentsa great opportunity to provide a large portion of the College’s accommodation requirement, delivering excellent value for money and affordable rents for our students.””
When considering the travel cost, this is more than students are willing to pay. This development is going to be more expensive than Evelyn Gardens and Garden Hall. The number one reason why people don’t accept an offer from Imperial is the cost. How is this affordable?!
“Student feedback acquired during the development of the College’s undergraduate accommodation strategy has been used in the selection and planning of W3…”
No it hasn’t. The Accommodation Survey data was clearly ignored. That they’re building a bar, more than 30 minutes away from campus, and for (when including travel costs) at £165pw - £15pw more than students were really looking to pay – shows exactly the opposite. Also, if I still count as a student, then my feedback was listened to but not used in the selection at all…
“…including suggestions that at least 400 bed spaces per hall are needed to constitute a community…”
Unless Commercial/Campus services are withholding data, this didn’t appear in the Accommodation Survey results at all that the Union received. This justification is just being used to close Garden Hall. The 7 halls next door to it don’t count as a community I guess…
“The travel time by tube to theSouth Kensington Campus is around 30 minutes and to Imperial West is around 10 minutes.”
‘Around 30 minutes’ is actually 35+. That it’s 10 minutes to Imperial West is wonderful, for the zero postgrads who will be living in this hall (Imperial West is a postgraduate only campus and W3 is an undergraduate only hall).
“The addition of these new halls of residence to the College’s undergraduate accommodation portfolio will mean that almost 60% of the current planned bed spaces will fall within the lowest rent band, currently £115 - £150 per week – a price range students identified as optimum in their feedback.”
60%? College Council was told all the single rooms would be £146pw at today’s prices. What about the others? What isn’t College telling us? Also, the ‘lowest rent band’ means nothing: Here are some bands: £115-£150, £151-£152, £153-£154, £154-£155. College can set the bands at whatever it pleases…
““This project will create a dynamic student hub,” Mr Harding-Roots added. “As well as ensuring we are meeting the needs of our students””
This brings me back to my initial question. What is the point of an Access agreement encouraging students to apply, irrespective of their background? Projects like this undo all the work of the Admissions Tutors and College Outreach who try and further the College’s academic mission of attracting the brightest students. Widening access is achieved through bricks and mortar – realistically priced accommodation – not shuffling paper documents from QAA to OFFA and back again. UCAS information shows that the number one reason, by a mile, that students who have been accepted turn down Imperial is living costs.
Read the Union’s response to the project online.
