….. “A consultation on the masterplan for the 2.8 hectare site last weekend was attended by almost 500 people.
Now, in an open letter, A K Alexander, the principal of Exmouth Community College, has attacked the university and its interim Vice Chancellor, Professor David Coslett, over the plans.
The WMN on Sunday asked the university to respond but neither its spokesman nor Prof Coslett was able to provide an answer.
The fate of Rolle:
An edited version of the open letter from A K Alexander
After seven years sitting empty, it would appear that things are now finally moving forward to define the future of Rolle College …. When it closed there was a loss of £5 million a year to Exmouth’s economy. But Exmouth and the area also lost an incredibly important higher education facility that brought a wonderful vibrancy to the town, whilst young people lost an opportunity to move into higher education locally.
So, I was appalled to learn that Professor David Coslett, Plymouth University Vice-Chancellor, in his speech at the consultation event, stated that it was acceptable to take pain in one area (Exmouth) if there were benefits elsewhere (Plymouth) and that there is greater value for the region overall in focusing on Plymouth.
On behalf of every student and every parent in Exmouth and East Devon, this is completely unacceptable. David Coslett also justified the delay in disposal on the economic downturn. The economic downturn has hit everyone and all public institutions hard. The fact that the site with gymnasium, meeting rooms, performance theatre and lecture theatre has remained unused and unavailable to the community for seven years in a time of economic strife is also unacceptable.
Plymouth University has used the argument of centralisation and yet its reach and footprint continues to grow in Cornwall …. What does David Coslett say in his welcome letter as Vice-Chancellor? – ‘a university that is easy to do business with; one that works alongside local communities and industry to create jobs, develop the economy, and raise the profile of the South West.’
I urge all young people and the community of Exmouth and beyond to have your say in the ongoing consultation process and join the debate on what Exmouth (not Plymouth University) needs on the site.
The online consultation is at http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ExmouthRolle
Plymouth University should see sense and reconsider its position; Exmouth must be given first option to purchase the site …. this should not be purely seen in narrow cash terms. David Coslett talks about ‘a legacy’. So let’s start talking about the right legacy for people in Exmouth and East Devon.
Plymouth University should work closely with the community and ensure there is true lasting legacy that creates jobs and improves the education and career opportunities. The intensive housing development of the site is a short-term financially driven quick fix.
We need a considered debate and discussion on how we can secure a longer term perspective and truly invest in people. The clock is ticking. I urge the Exmouth community to act now and resist the proposed plans for the site. We can do so much better.
Mr A K Alexander
Principal
Exmouth Community College”
East Devon Watch 
“So, I was appalled to learn that Professor David Coslett, Plymouth University Vice-Chancellor, in his speech at the consultation event, stated that it was acceptable to take pain in one area (Exmouth) if there were benefits elsewhere (Plymouth) and that there is greater value for the region overall in focusing on Plymouth.”
Exactly the same argument as East Devon District Council is using about selling the Knowle and moving to Honiton / Exmouth….
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Let us have a fair share of the cake in Exmouth
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I believe I read in the national press that secondary schools are going to have to expand to take the numbers of pupils coming up from the primary schools. Exmouth was mentioned and would grow from 2000 pupils to over 3000! Would it not be sensible for this vast number of young people to have a college of further education at Rolle .. The site is all ready .
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How about Plymouth doing the honourable thing and giving at the very least a major part of the Rolle campus back to the original owners? Surely Plymouth Uni has already profited enormously from the sale of the sites previously occupied by the numerous halls of residence. It beggars belief that such a huge economic and social part of Exmouth life could be given away so freely – for the token payment of a pound? – without some sort of stipulation that it could never be sold for their benefit if they no longer desired to use it for educational purposes, and should be returned to the people of Exmouth if that situation arose. It may have been a human tragedy for the architect of this sale or gift to Plymouth to be killed by lightning but the fact remains that what he was complicit in was a true tragedy for Exmouth.
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Dr Lewinsky was killed by lightning but he wasn’t exactly the architect of the current situation. Consolidation was the policy when he was appointed, of the government as well as the university, but Lewinsky actually promised the return of much of this site to the community for education. However no one in authority has ever shown the moral fibre to hold anyone to account for his promise, the biggest failure being the phoney campaigner Hugo who didn’t even use this argument when he was forwarded evidence of that promise from the university’s own website. Mr Alexander has shown all these poor specimens the way and I hope others will now follow his lead and exert enough pressure on Hugo’s testicles to put his constituents above tacit support for dishonest empire building.
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