Student - July 2, 2010

Student house has to go as campus expands

The inhabitants of the strip of land between the campus and the Bongerd sports centre have to get packing. Wageningen UR wants to start building there in 2013.

A sandy track leads to student house Gryllus on campus.
‘We already knew the land was going to be sold but it wasn't clear what was going to happen to us', says Evelien Kooij, one of the occupants of Gryllus House. Gryllus House is on the strip of land between the campus and the Bongerd. That land has now been sold to Facilities and Services with the promise that it will be freely available for use in 2013. There are nine students living in Gryllus House and three more in another house. The other inhabitants of this piece of land - the father of the person who owns the land and a family on the Bornsesteeg side - have already left.
Negotiations
It is not yet known when the students will have to leave. Evelien: ‘We are still in the negotiations phase. We know we have a strong position as tenants so we don't have to go. But we won't be making any friends if we dig our heels in. It's just a shame we have to leave; we have so much freedom here.'
It is still not entirely clear what the land will be used for. At any rate there will be a Campina site on the Mansholtlaan side. Another definite decision is the building of Orion. Ad van der Have of Wageningen UR's Facilities and Services says: ‘It is a strategic purchase. In the structure plan the land is designated for knowledge-intensive companies affiliated to the University. The further details of the allocation will be worked out with the municipality at a later date.'