September 19, 2011 11.12 am This story is over 158 months old

Lincoln students move into Festival Gardens portable bunk cabins

Bunk cabins: The first students to be housed in temporary portable cabins in the University of Lincoln’s car park have arrived.

By Chelsea Buckthorp chelsea

Dozens of Lincoln students have moved in temporary accommodation in the University of Lincoln’s staff car park, dubbed Festival Gardens.

As previously reported, up to 100 double bunk cabins will be used to accommodate a late surge of students without living arrangements.

The 3 by 3 meters cabins started arriving last Thursday and are fully powered, heated, with two single beds, two desks, a flushing toilet and shower.

Sharon Dulidge arrived in Lincoln on Sunday with her daughter, who was told on Friday she would be staying in the temporary accommodation:

“The cabins are hysterical. I have just arrived with my daughter. But genuinely I think they have done very well to get something sorted,” said the 49-year-old mother.

“It’s not ideal for long term, but I think they have done well given the situation they have to work with this year.

“The kids will just have to make the best of it. They’ll all bunch together. My daughter’s fine though, she’s just unpacking now. I’m sure she’ll make the best of it.”

Kristie Jackson also moved in on Sunday in Festival Gardens: “It is small, l but I suppose it is manageable for now. I did apply late, so it is okay I guess.

“I was shocked by the size of it but you have just got to go with the flow,” she commented on the temporary accommodation.

“They have been really nice though; there’s going to be a common room with a TV and snacks, so they are trying to make it as comfortable as possible.”

Student Edward Portal was accommodated in one of the bunk cabins as well: “I’ve just walked into it. It’s small but it is alright.

“They want to have relocated everyone by October 15, but I think they are trying to have everyone out in the next week.

“I think it’s a brilliant solution really, much better than staying in a bed and breakfast. Because we are all in the same place and it is local,” added the 18-year-old.

A University of Lincoln spokesperson told The Lincolnite: “The move into the temporary student village went well this weekend and already a good sense of community seems to have developed among the students.

“This is a temporary solution and work is ongoing to find more suitable long-term accommodation. Rooms are becoming available all the time.

“We are aiming for the cabins in the temporary student village to be single occupancy (rather than twin cabins) by the end of this week.”

In a statement, the university’s Students’ Union said it “fully sympathies with the position of students who have had difficulty in finding accommodation in Lincoln and will do all it can do to support and represent their issues to the university.”