ORGANISERS of a petition to save Caerleon's university campus which has now attracted more than 2,000 signatures say people feel betrayed by the move to close it.

Paul Halliday, Welsh Liberal Democrat’s prospective candidate for Newport East, who has been campaigning against the closure since rumours began in the summer, said the campaign attracted 1,000 signatures just 48 hours after it was launched and that figure has continued to rise. He dismissed the plan for phase two of the city campus as a "smoke screen", and said people were angered by the decision after the Welsh government said during the university mergers process it did not expect to see campus closures.

“It is gaining support with all of the community,” Mr Halliday said.

“There is so much history in terms of the Caerleon campus...100 years of history.

“People are upset and angry - they feel betrayed. This investment [into the city centre] is just a smoke screen.

“People are passionate about this.”

A number of people have left comments on the petition page saying how they feel 'let down.'

“Our youngsters have been let down by the Welsh education minister after promises that no higher education establishments would close," one petitioner said.

"The government should keep to their word uphold their promise.

“The closure does not just affects students but staff and the wider community with shops, public houses, restaurants, bed and breakfast establishments taking a direct hit.”

Last week the University of South Wales announced plans to close the Caerleon campus within the next two to three years, shutting its doors to new students this year.

All creative courses including photography, currently based at Caerleon, and the film school at Newport city campus, will move to the USW Atrium in Cardiff.

USW claims the new plans will bring an additional 1,500 students into the city campus.

In a statement last week the USW said they estimated an investment of £20 million would be needed to bring the site up to the standards of modern campuses. They have not yet decided what will become of the site but have suggested it could be used by the community, for further education or to be sold.

A maximum of 145 campus-specific jobs will be affected by the closure of the campus but USW said that it will take two to three years for the building to be closed.

A spokesman said: "We have to listen to the student market, irrespective of the history, as beautiful as Caerleon is, the numbers have dropped steadily. Students want a city centre location for shops and things to do.

"Caerleon was below capacity which pre-dates USW."

Ed Townsend Liberal Democrat cllr for St Julians said he was worried the effect the campus closure would have on the students.

“One thing that worries me is the effect it will have on the students as the people who are hit by this are those studying part time for degrees in Newport," he said.

“People who work part time, people who work full time. People who are single parents.

“People who can’t give up the rest of their lives to be full time students."

A meeting will be held in October 1 at 9pm at The Loft in Newport for members of the community to come together to discuss the issue.