Birmingham City University - Off the rails

Plans for a city-centre campus at Birmingham City University have been scuppered a week after the institution handed over payment for a new site. The university paid Birmingham City Council £18 million for the Eastside site on 3 March. On 11 March, the government announced plans for a high-speed rail link between Birmingham and London - including a new station on the university's plot. David Tidmarsh, Birmingham City's vice-chancellor, said the announcement was a "huge disappointment". "To date we have invested more than £30 million, as well as a lot of hard work by many people," he said. "We will of course be seeking full restitution of our costs incurred to this point."