Former and current students and local residents descended on the Senedd steps in Cardiff Bay to voice their opposition to the planned closure of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David campus in Lampeter.

Joining the protest yesterday (Tuesday), Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds voiced her support for the campaign, which is being led by the Lampeter Society.

University of Wales St David Trinity has proposed moving its humanities department from Lampeter to Carmarthen, more than 20 miles away.

The move, set to happen this September, would mean an end to over 200 years of undergraduate teaching at the campus. And concerns have been raised around the potential impact that the loss of a student population could have on local businesses.

A petition has been launched calling for both UWTSD and the Welsh Government to create a sustainable plan for the long-term future of the Lampeter campus.

Commenting on the need to keep the Lampeter campus open, Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds said that any potential closure “could be devastating to the local community.”

”We cannot allow one of Wales oldest educational institutions to disappear, which would leave hundreds of students in limbo over their educational futures.

Any potential closures could also spell disaster for local businesses who rely on the local student population for footfall.

The University and the Welsh Government must both see sense and work towards creating a sustainable plan for the long-term future of the campus so it can stay in Lampeter for good.”