More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
An Italian university wants to build a fence around its upcoming Kent campus.
The University of Niccolò Cusano Studies bought Wye's Withersdane Hall and its surrounding buildings for about £3million in 2019.
The site previously held a rehab centre and, before that, had been a campus of Wye College.
Work is ongoing to refurbish the buildings after the university got planning permission to revert it back to its original use as an educational facility.
A newly submitted application suggests the Italian university has been struggling with a rash of trespass incidents, including one which left damage.
In a design and access statement attached to the application, planning agent GAD Design writes: "Recently a fire caused by trespassers has occurred in the most remote area within the Tree Protection Order and numerous trespassing incidents have been reported by the security company since the owner acquired the property in 2019.
"Therefore the current owner is concerned that, in absence of any visible boundary, preventing trespassing will be hardly achieved."
Some masonry walls will be raised to match the 2.2m height of other stone walls, while other areas will see a metal mesh fence erected.
The gate on the south side of the site will also be replaced "with a high grade metal gate and flanking walls clad with local stone."
Once fully outfitted, Withersdane Hall and its surrounding accommodation will have the capacity to educate about 250 students.
The university will be staffed by 20 people, a quarter of which will live on-site.
It will be the University of Niccolò Cusano Studies' second UK campus, with the other being the NCI University in London, situated on the Isle of Dogs.
