THE university campus in Basingstoke will close next year after bosses decided there is no longer a need for a permanent base in the town.

A consultation was held with staff and students from The University of Winchester regarding the possible closure of Chute House.

It opened in 2003 and is leased from the borough council, offering primarily part-time study.

The university was originally looking to expand in the town because it believed Chute House was too small, and it put in a bid to secure funds to move to the new Innovation Centre in Basing View.

But when this was unsuccessful, university bosses carried out an in-depth review of the needs for higher education in Basingstoke – and this revealed that there might not be a need for a permanent base in the town at all.

It has now been decided that the campus will close from July 2011 and the majority of students will have to travel to Winchester for their study.

Professor Elizabeth Stuart, Pro Vice Chancellor of The University of Winchester, said: “The university will seek to find ways to mitigate any inconvenience caused to current students studying at Chute House.”

Just 14 of the 330 students based in Basingstoke will be able to continue studying in the town. Those on the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) course will be taught at an alternative location, but all other programmes will be transferred at the start of the academic year in September 2011.

Prof Stuart said the university is still committed to meeting the higher education needs of Basingstoke.

She added: “The university believes that there are more effective means by which it can meet the clearly articulated higher education needs in Basingstoke.”