A student-only nightclub plan for Colchester town centre today met with opposition from the Students' Union.

Plans include opening a nightclub in the town, plus new buildings and improving the existing bars and Underground venue on the Essex University campus.

University bosses say the plans are being worked on with the Students' Union (SU), but the union is also putting forward its own proposal to revamp and run existing facilities.

It claims moves to link up with private leisure firms will mean students' needs will be sacrificed for profit.

The university's plan includes creating a Students' Street on campus to possibly include a new SU office, chaplaincy and careers centre, launderette, and meeting space.

Lautaro Vargas, SU vice-president of communications and entertainments, said: "We would like to maintain control and would like to be able to veto certain things."

He said it was feared clubs and events the union put on which broke even, would not be of interest to a private firm, interested in profits.

A university spokeswoman, said: "Yesterday we met with students and made a clear commitment that the university will go out and approach the outside leisure companies with proposals due in early April."

"The university has for a long period wished to improve the Students' Union facilities."

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