URF (University Radio Falmer) has been forced back to the drawing board this week as longstanding plans to move the radio studio from Norwich House to Falmer House were delayed further by the University’s Estates department.

Moving the URF studio from Norwich House to Falmer House has been an enduring aim of URF members and producers for years, having this year finally secured funding of £21,000 from the Sussex Fund of alumni donations.

Having been previously confirmed in June, the move from Norwich House to Falmer House was expected to be completed by Christmas of this year.

Kit Bradshaw, Students’ Union Communications Officer admitted that a move before Christmas is now “unlikely”.

Kit said that: “the Students’ Union has been working hard to initiate the move of our student radio station from Norwich House to Falmer House, to bring them closer to other student media outlets.”

He added: “Regrettably the process of applying for permission for the move via the University’s Estates department has been a very slow process.

“The Students’ Union will do everything we can to lobby Estates to process the move as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Station Manager of URF, Sophie Wallace, stated: “We are currently still liaising with Estates in order to finalise everything”.

“The delays are obviously frustrating for us and our members as we are still having to broadcast on old and often faulty equipment as well as remaining far away from both the Union and the other student media. Despite this, URF is still looking forward to moving to Falmer House.”

The University Estates department did not respond to our requests for a comment.

By Catherine Gough and Tom Foster