By Phil Coleman

Last updated at 14:45, Tuesday, 23 March 2010

Key figures from Cumbria’s rural economy have issued an impassioned plea to university chiefs in the county, urging them not to sell off two farms attached to the campus at Newton Rigg near Penrith.

There are growing fears that the farms may become a casualty of the £20 million deficit crisis which is engulfing the University of Cumbria.

The university is trying to come up with savings of £10m before the end of July. Its board is due to meet on Thursday to consider a consultant’s review of the campus.

Some insiders have speculated that finance chiefs may be considering selling off assets – including the two farms which are a learning sites for agriculture and environmental science students at Newton Rigg.

That fear has now been voiced in a letter signed by 20 of the county’s most influential figures involved in local land and farming issues.

They include Lord Inglewood, of Hutton in the Forest; Douglas Chalmers, chief executive of the Cumbrian branch of the County Landowners Association; Sir Martin Holdgate, chairman of the Cumbria Renewable Panel; and Joe Harris, of Brackenburgh Estates.

Their letter acknowledges that difficult decisions have already been taken by the university to cut costs, and abandon certain aspirations but they say the future of Newton Rigg is yet to be resolved.

The group speaks of the urgent need to develop the university’s environmental science base, arguing that Newton Rigg is of prime importance not only to Penrith and the Eden Valley but also to “the whole land based economy of Cumbria”.

The letter cites fears that another educational provider may be given control of some courses, but cites an undertaking that the University of Cumbria should oversee all land- based and science courses to ensure quality.

Despite the need for a revised business plan, the group hopes “the future training and educational needs of our very large land-based business community will not be ignored and the challenge to retain the two college farms as an integral part of improving the science offer will be understood and not relegated (for instance) to some hasty asset disposal strategy to sell and lease back prime farmland on a tenanted basis”.

The signatories urge the University Board to create a centre of excellence at Newton Rigg in Upland Management and land based studies.

Mr Harris said the Newton Rigg farms should not be sold off. “They’re central to the college and unique,” he said.

“Any attempt to separate these farms from the college would be a retrograde step.

“At one time, Newton Rigg was regarded as one of the best agricultural colleges in the country.

“The point we’re trying to make is that it should be restored. It should be taken back to its former excellence.”

A UCLan spokeswoman said the university spent over £15 million on campus developments at Newton Rigg between 1998 and 2007 before the campus was handed over to the University of Cumbria. UCLan also underwrote an annual operating deficit at the campus of £1 million, she said.

First published at 11:26, Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk