Staffordshire University could be about to move out of Stafford

(Flickr (Futurilla))

Staffordshire University could be on the verge of moving out of Stafford, taking 7,000 students and 518 members of staff with it.

A consultation on whether to close its Stafford campus will end on Wednesday.

If passed, the students and staff in Stafford will relocate en mass to the university's main campus in Stoke-on-Trent, where 11,500 of the institution's 18,500 students already study.

Jeremy Lefroy, MP for Stafford, told the BBC he was concerned about the impact the move would have on the local economy.

He said: "It matters tremendously. I very much hope the board of governors will decide to stay in Stafford."

The university has already invested more than £42 million in the last two years into regenerating its campuses in Stoke-on-Trent.

A spokesperson for Staffordshire University told the BBC that they were "aware of the concerns" that individuals had about the future of the site and had held open discussions over the plans.