THE University of Bath's decision to pull the plug on its plans to build a campus at Coate may have delighted campaigners, but it was condemned by Swindon Council and the town's MPs earlier this year.

However, according to the main parties standing in Thursday's election, Swindon's university dream is still very much alive.

Council leader Roderick Bluh says a university is vital for the town in terms of raising standards of higher education and protecting Swindon's growing economy. He said: "Without a properly trained local workforce, employers will not be attracted and we may start to lose businesses.

"We have commissioned a working party of stakeholders to determine our needs, following the University of Bath's decision not to proceed, so that we demonstrate our requirements to interested parties."

Liberal Democrat leader Stan Pajak says the time is right for Swindon to become a university town, despite his party opposing the Coate project. But he says his party would like to see an arts faculty on the town centre's brownfield sites.

He said: "Our vision for a university in Swindon is an arts faculty to be the centre point of a cultural quarter of the town centre.

"The old police site and the surrounding area that is due to be knocked down would be perfect for this. This cultural quarter should be marked by street cafés, open space, galleries and performing arts by the students for the benefit of all town residents."

Labour leader Kevin Small said his party would take a proactive approach and would work with the Higher Education Funding Council, local business and the town's MPs to deliver a university.

"While our own university of Swindon would be preferable, we will co-operate with any successful higher education provider who can help deliver this goal," he said.

Stephen Halden, chairman of UKIP Swindon, said a university education can vastly improve a person's employment prospects. He said: "Every effort should be made to help those who might benefit from it by expanding the courses available in Swindon.

"It should also be recognised that not everybody wants to go to university and there should be a variety of courses available for those who want to study more practical subjects, to be bricklayers, plumbers and electricians."

But Swindon Green party leader Bill Hughes said people should be wary of developers enticing another university to Coate, citing the threat of housing and commercial development on what he described as a "precious" site.

He said: "There is no reason at all why more higher education facilities cannot be developed at the North Star site and infilling on other brownfield sites nearer the centre of town.

"The Philistinism of Swindon Council's past and present may make this difficult. One can only hope that more positive attitudes prevail than the crass commercialism that presently dominates councillor's opinions. This will change with the breath of fresh air from the Green Party."