Leicester road to be sold to university for £1

The road appears to be part of the university campus but is publicly owned

A public road is set to be sold to the University of Leicester for just £1.

Mayor's Walk is a short section of road near the university's student union building, which would become private land under the plans.

Some residents have expressed concern that members of the public would no longer be able to walk through the campus.

Leicester City Council and the university said the move would not affect public access to the area.

A council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Mayor's Walk has always run through the university's campus and it is something of an anomaly that it doesn't belong to them.

"We are intending to sell that road to the university for a nominal sum of £1, and the agreement includes provision to ensure that public use of the route can continue."

Michael Flanagan, director of estates and digital services at the University of Leicester also confirmed this.

He added: "The acquisition will support future investment in the public realm on campus, delivering improvements for the whole community, including students, staff and members of the public who will be able to continue use of the access."

Access concerns

However, some residents said they wanted firm assurances the road would remain a safe, well-lit route for people to use.

Ian Brown, chair of Friends of Clarendon Park, said: "I think people are concerned about the loss of another right of way which has been in use for years.

"I've seen one objection from someone who says they've been using it for over 50 years.

"So, what we'd really like to see is it being established as a public right of way before its sold to the university."

Mr Brown said the council had told the group there was a 50-year clause in the sale agreement that prevented the university using Mayor's Walk for other purposes, or altering its course, without the authority's consent.

He added: "So that was a bit of reassurance but it's not quite the same as it being designated a public right of way because it only lasts for 50 years [and] the concern is if future management at the university wanted to, and the city council agreed, it could be closed to public access."

Residents have until the end of Thursday to have their say on the council's plans.