Community leaders help university shape growth plans for Barrow
On 11 March, the University of Cumbria hosted an insightful day bringing together its senior leaders along with several key guests from the local community. Among the attendees were local councillors, senior leads from Team Barrow, and colleagues from BAE Systems. Together, they came to help shape the university’s approach to its integration into the Barrow area.
The day included talks with Councillor Fred Chatfield, who is a Barrow Town Councillor and member of the Brilliant Barrow Board, alongside leading figures from Team Barrow – namely, workstream leads Naomi Morgan (Education, Employment and Skills), Karen Brisley (Transport), Lindsay Lewis (Health, Equity and Wellbeing), and University of Cumbria Vice Chancellor, Professor Julie Mennell, who is a member of both the Brilliant Barrow Board and the Team Barrow Delivery Board.
Fred Chatfield, Barrow Town Councillor said: "I never ever thought I'd see a university in Barrow so it's absolutely wonderful to see the University of Cumbria building a new campus here and opening from September this year. The opportunities that it will bring will be significant. It will not only provide new opportunities for the people of Barrow accessing higher education locally but having a student population will enable the town to grow even further with new investment and development for it to really thrive for all to benefit."
Professor Brian Webster-Henderson OBE, Deputy Vice Chancellor said: “The day was a great opportunity to engage with colleagues and key guests from the local council, Team Barrow and BAE Systems, about the campus project, right here on the ground in Barrow. As part of our Towards 2030 strategy, we aim to be a university not just in the town, but for the town, playing a key role in its growth and access to education for current and future generations. We’re committed to addressing the region’s skills needs and supporting the town’s vital role in the UK’s infrastructure. We deeply value and appreciate the contributions of everyone who joined us.”
The University of Cumbria is excited about the opening of its new campus in Barrow in September 2025. This project represents a key part of the university’s ongoing commitment to providing lasting opportunities in and for Cumbria, creating positive change in the region.
To learn more about Brilliant Barrow, head to Brilliant Barrow – The Future of Barrow is Bright
To learn more about Team Barrow, head to Barrow Rising | Making Barrow a better place to live, work, study, visit, and invest
To learn more about how University of Cumbria is helping to shape the future of Barrow, head to Shaping the future of Barrow
Notes to editors
On July 27, 2019, the Prime Minister announced that the Towns Fund would support an initial 101 places across England to develop Town Deal proposals, to drive economic regeneration and deliver long-term economic and productivity growth. See further details of the announcement: PM speech at Manchester Science and Industry Museum - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
A Town Deal is an agreement in principle between Government, the lead council and the Town Deal Board. It will set out a vision and strategy for the town, and what each party agrees to do to achieve this vision. See the 101 places being supported to develop Town Deals: list-of-100-places.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Each of the 101 towns selected to work towards a Town Deal also received accelerated funding last year for investment in capital projects that would have an immediate impact and help places “build back better” in the wake of Covid-19. View a list of accelerated funding by place: towns-fund-accelerated-funding-grants.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)