MP expresses concern following reports of flooding at NI’s agri-food college

Ms Lockhart, who is the party’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs spokesperson in the House of Commons said: “I understand a burst pipe caused water damage to student accommodation, resulting in around 60 full-time students having to vacate their rooms.

“Residential students returned to the campus near Antrim recently, to find they had nowhere to stay. The flooding has inconvenienced students, especially those who cannot drive and others who live long distances from the college.”

The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise at Greenmount has been welcoming and educating next generation farmers and agri-food students for more than a hundred years. The campus offers a variety of agriculture, horticulture, veterinary nursing, land-based engineering and floristry courses, with over 200 students staying onsite.

The Upper Bann MP added: “I am led to believe that the students affected are, either travelling from home on a daily basis, or staying at CAFRE’s Loughry campus on the outskirts of Cookstown. The bus journey represents a distance of over 65 miles return and takes approximately two hours every day.

“Reports indicate that there will be no quick-fix solution to the current arrangements. Students aren’t expected to return to their Greenmount halls of residence until the New Year at the earliest.”

Ms Lockhart has written to DAERA Minister Andrew Muir expressing her concerns and urging him to resolve the matter as quickly as possible. “This is a very unfortunate turn of events which has caused major damage to dormitory-style accommodation at Greenmount.

The Minister needs to act fast to mitigate the impact that this disruption will have on students and their education.

“Students and parents involved have been left anxious. For many students, enrolling at Greenmount represents their first time away from home. They were just settling into life at the campus and, are now faced with a daily commute to Cookstown and unfamiliar surroundings.”

A DAERA spokesman said: “On Sunday 3 November 2024, a significant water leakage was discovered in the student residential area of Fulton Hall, Greenmount Campus, CAFRE. This incident has resulted in 59 students vacating the accommodation. CAFRE accommodated over half the affected students in alternative accommodation either on the Greenmount campus or at Loughry. For those students reallocated to Loughry, daily travel to the Greenmount campus is provided. The remaining students are travelling daily to the Greenmount campus.

“CAFRE is currently evaluating the full extent of the damage, restoration timelines and providing guidance and support to all those affected to ensure that students impacted are fully supported during this period.”

Last month CAFRE unveiled plans for the demolition of a number of existing buildings, which will be followed by the construction of new student accommodation, offices, teaching and conference facilities at Greenmount.

Plans submitted for approval stated that the current infrastructure had reached the end of its economic life in terms of inefficient energy consumption and increased maintenance requirements.

The new ‘fit for purpose’ campus will include ensuite accommodation for 250 residential students, news classrooms, laboratories and a lecture theatre.