Local businesses given preview of University’s new City Campus

Twenty-four representatives from local Gloucester businesses paid a visit to University of Gloucestershire’s City Campus, as part of a visit organised in collaboration with Gloucester Chamber of Commerce.

The tour of the site was part of an afternoon of activity that also included a walk around the Forum development, so local businesses could see first-hand the exciting transformation of Gloucester’s Kings Quarter.

City Campus, which is being developed by Morgan Sindall Construction, is a hugely ambitious project that will see the former Debenham’s building transformed into a vibrant new campus in the heart of the city.  

Opening in 2025, the 20,000m2 building will become home to the University’s Institute of Education as well as its psychology and social work programmes. The development will also include a range of public access facilities, such as a new public library delivered in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council, and a Health, Arts and Wellbeing Centre created in partnership with the NHS Integrated Care Board. 

For students, City Campus enables the introduction of new cutting-edge facilities, including simulation spaces, an immersive Virtual Reality room and a lab where psychology students can learn about the naturally occurring electric activity taking place in the brain.  

The Forum is a £107m project to regenerate part of the city centre. At its heart is a commitment to transforming Gloucester into a destination that attracts businesses and visitors to the city.

Phase one saw the construction of Whitefriars – the award-winning residential offering of The Forum, comprising of 19 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Phase one also introduced retail space along with improvements to Kings Square.

Alex Cottrell, Head of External Relationships at University of Gloucestershire, said: “We were delighted to be able to give these local businesses a behind-the-scenes look at our new campus.

“We know that breathing new life into this iconic building is of huge importance to people in Gloucester and therefore we are hugely proud that we have been able to play such a critical role in this.

“Restoring the site to its former glory has been a huge task and the on-site team have worked tirelessly to ensure that the work carried out does justice to this architectural gem.

“The site is also of vital strategic importance to us as a university.  We need to create connected, vibrant campuses that offer an excellent student and staff experience. This project enable us to do that and the long-term investment will support our growth ambitions.” 

Luke Lutman, President of Gloucester Chamber of Commerce, said: “Thank you to University of Gloucestershire for putting this site visit together to give us the opportunity to see for ourselves the scale of the project and the exciting plans for the former Debenham’s building coming to life.

“It is great to see that the University is working hard to engage with the city, the businesses and the local people. Investment in the city is key to its survival, so it is reassuring to see that work is progressing and that plans are becoming a reality.

“We cannot wait to welcome University of Gloucestershire staff and students to the city when it opens next year.”

Richard Fielding, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Midlands, said: “Repurposing such a high-profile landmark building is a real privilege for our team and it’s been great to walk around the development and see first-hand how it’s all coming together.

“It was important for us to stay faithful to the unique character of the former site, while ensuring it’s also modern and fit-for-purpose for the students – it’s a delicate balance, but after today’s walkaround it’s one we feel we’ve captured well.”

Image: Members of the business community who had a tour of City Campus, as part of a visit organised in collaboration with Gloucester Chamber of Commerce