Some 500 students are affected
Students have been left concerned and frustrated after the University of Lincoln called for them to move out of an accommodation block they only recently arrived at, due to fire safety concerns.
The Gateway student accommodation on Ruston Way in Lincoln has been the topic of much discussion this week, following the announcement that 500 students would be moved out of the halls of residence by Friday, October 28.
This is a result of a fire safety assessment, commissioned by the University of Lincoln, which found issues surrounding risk of fires in the stairwells of the building – and works to repair this are expected to take several months.
A decision was taken by the university following a recommendation by Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, with UoL saying it “acted immediately” in the best interests of student safety.
The Gateway on Ruston Way. | Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite
The University of Lincoln will be offering affected students a one-off payment of £500 as a result of the disruption, equating to around £250,000 in compensation being paid out. It will also assist with finding suitable alternative living quarters for the students.
One student, Katie Donnelly, allowed BBC Look North inside her flat at The Gateway. She has a disability and said her current flat is suitable for her accessibility, so she found the news that she’d have to move “difficult to process”.
The Gateway is leased by the university and has been since 2020, but is owned by a private landlord.
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