YOUR SWINDON YOUR VERDICT: Your Swindon, Your Verdict is the first major survey into what Adver readers really think of the key issues affecting our town. Nearly 900 people of all ages answered questions on the town centre, crime, traffic, the council and a host of other subjects.

In the second of a series of special reports Isabel Field looks at whether Swindon should have a university, what would improve Swindon town centre, where you go to shop and where you go for a night out

IT'S official Swindon residents want a university.

And most people want the campus built in the town centre rather than at Coate.

They are the results of the Your Swindon, Your Verdict vote when people were asked what they thought of the University of Bath plans to come to the town.

Seventy per cent of residents surveyed said Swindon did need a new university campus while 29 per cent said it did not.

Asked where the campus should be built 53 per cent said the town centre but 35 per cent said it should be at Coate.

Twelve per cent of people said it should be elsewhere with suggestions ranging from Wroughton Airfield to the County Ground site.

The survey brings mixed news for the University of Bath, which wants to build at Coate.

"The university is pleased that the survey has shown a high level of support for the new campus amongst local residents," a spokeswoman said.

"The new campus must be at Coate so that it is close to the Great Western Hospital to allow for important links between the hospital and the university's School for Health.

"There is more land in the Coate area to develop the campus than there is in the town centre, and the cost of buying plots of town centre land would be prohibitive for the university."

Jean Saunders, of the Save Coate campaign, was surprised that 35 per cent of people said the university should be at Coate.

"I am amazed it is that high," she said. "I think it is because people don't know the full facts.

"A few people would accept just a university there but it doesn't come as just a university, it comes as a package including 1,800 homes and employment land.

"We find it so easy to collect signatures I've only come across two people who won't sign the petition against it."

Swindon Civic Trust, which tomorrow publishes a report detailing how the university could be built in the town centre, welcomed the support for the university.

"I don't think anybody would disagree that it is such a necessary thing to happen for the future of the town, said Alan Haywood from the trust.

"This is the best opportunity we have got for a generation."

The trust's own survey, published in November, said 83 per cent of people backed the campus being in the town centre.

Mr Haywood put the difference between that figure and the Your Swindon, Your Verdict result of 53 per cent support for a town centre campus down to the way the two surveys were carried out.

"We had an exhibition to show people what could be achieved in the town centre not just asking the question," he said.

Isabel Field