By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
The University of Gloucestershire’s City Campus at the former Debenhams building in Gloucester is due to open in a few months’ time.
The university is looking to open the first two floors of the five storey King’s Square landmark to start teaching in the summer 2025.
Their plans for the building will see the ground floor used as a shared space with the county library moving there from Brunswick Road.
The students’ union and a shared flexible space for teaching and events will also be on the ground floor.
It will also host business engagement activity and a student-led law clinic, offering opportunities for training, events and incubation, as well as free legal advice to people in the city centre.
The second floor will include a 160-seater lecture theatre and an immersive virtual reality room.
There will also be electroencephalogram lab where students can learn about the naturally occurring electric activity taking place in the brain, and monitor how it is affected by various tasks, conditions and other factors.
It will also include Gloucestershire NHS Integrated Care Board’s health, arts and wellbeing treatment rooms.
The university has also used Crittall Windows, who installed the original feature buildings in the 1930s, to install replicas. The new windows are double glazed for improved energy efficiency.
Workers are really proud of the redevelopment so far. And, despite its challenges, they say they are on track to welcoming the first students in the summer.
James Lawley senior project manager at Morgan Sindall said: “It’s been a challenging project, but it’s one that we’re really proud of as a business to be involved in. Especially with the regeneration of the historic landmark within Gloucester.
“We’re on track to complete for the opening of the summer. We are really proud and excited to be part of that journey.”
The university announced the purchase the former Debenhams building in March 2021 and unveiled their ambitious plan to grow in the city.
The development of the 20,000m2 building will place University of Gloucestershire right at the heart of its community, creating a vibrant hub of new activity in King’s Square, they say.
Shared public access facilities are set to include a new health, arts and wellbeing centre in partnership with the NHS Integrated Care Board, and a new public library in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council.
The phased opening of these new facilities is set to begin in 2025, when the first staff and students will also start to access teaching there.
The new campus will build on the University’s proud heritage in teacher training, becoming an Institute for education, and also be home to students and staff from psychology and social work.