July 21, 2010 - 17:40 
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800 Jobs Planned For New University Site At Penryn
Tags: CUC, European Regional Development Fund, Penryn
Area:
Penryn A new £30m environmental research centre is to be built in Cornwall and could create up to 800 jobs.
The University of Exeter's Environment and Sustainability Institute will be built at the Combined Universities campus in Penryn.
It is expected to create about 150 jobs initially, with the possibility of this increasing to 800 in the future.
Construction work on the institute is due to start in February, with opening planned for summer 2012.
'International stage'
The project is being paid for by £23m from the European Regional Development Fund, plus money from the South West Regional Development Agency and the university.
The university said more than 100 academic staff were to be recruited to work across the themes of clean technologies, natural environment and socio-economic research.
Stuart Bearhop, of the university, said: "We work on a number of issues that directly affect the South West. We're working on agricultural biodiversity, we're working on badgers and TB transmission.
"Although they're Cornwall issues, they're also international issues.
"So what we see the new institution doing is bringing work done in Cornwall to a truly international stage."
Source: BBC
Wonderful news for bringing new jobs to this area; but what about student accommodation and traffic in over burdened Penryn? As a resident I am concerned about increasing numbers of students and the knock on effect they have on house prices in this little town, plus the lack of parking for all the additional vehicles. Housing and parking are two very important issues that need consideration if we are to have a town populated my local working families who are resident all year round.
Would love to know what the plans are for increasing safe parking and affordable housing for local people.