Victoria University is ditching its campus in the Wellington suburb of Karori and residents are not happy.

The university’s council announced yesterday that the campus was surplus to requirements and the disposal process would soon begin.

Karori Association chair Lesleigh Salinger said residents were devastated at the university’s move because the community relied on the facilities for leisure activities.

“It’s a marvellous facility and it would be absolutely tragic to see it demolished and turned into housing or a retirement village or something like that.”

Salinger said she would push for the tennis courts, grounds and buildings to remain on site.

“I would like to see that recreated into a twenty-first century learning institution - it might be a junior college, it might be a secondary college.”

Vice-Chancellor Professor Grant Guilford said the university recognised the Karori community would have questions about the decision.

Guilford said the role of the Karori campus had long been a subject of debate within the university.

“Primarily because of Karori’s distance from the University’s other main campuses, which are in, or close to, the central city.

“This isolation has always created a sense of disconnection for staff and students at Karori.”

Guildford said the university would continue to make its recreational facilities available at the Karori campus in the short term.

A public meeting at the Karori campus will be held on September 15 at 5.30pm.