Proposed extension for new University of Cumbria Barrow campus
Creating a healthcare workforce fit for the future is shaping a new university campus in Cumbria.
University of Cumbria hopes to extend its new campus in Barrow-in-Furness, which is currently under construction and funded by the Brilliant Barrow Town Deal, the university and BAE Systems.
Revised plans for the University of Cumbria Barrow campus on Buccleuch Dock Road, Barrow Island, have been submitted to Westmorland and Furness Council.
The university wants to increase the footprint of its campus to create a clinical skills area for student nurses, supporting the delivery of its BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing programme from September 2025.
It is requesting a formal change to its original planning application that was granted consent in spring 2023. Spaces for dedicated engineering learning labs, teaching rooms, digital library facilities, catering options, car parking and cycle store are in the original plans.
Subject to approval, it is hoped that work will commence on the approximately 127 square metre extension early next year and be completed ahead of the campus opening in September 2025.
University of Cumbria’s Institute of Health is also working with University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust to scope future provision that will help to build higher-level skills for the region’s healthcare workforce. Working with a range of employers, including health trusts, to design higher education programmes that meet the area’s future skills needs is part of the university’s contribution to wider growth plans for Barrow.
The proposed extension has been granted additional funding from the Brilliant Barrow Town Deal, which secured £25 million from the Government's Towns Fund in 2021 for projects designed to help Barrow to thrive for generations.
Caddick Construction Group is the contractor working on the new campus, which neighbours the BAE Systems Submarines Academy for Skills and Knowledge building.
The first academic programmes, with more to come, are:
- BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering with Integrated Foundation Year;
- BSc (Hons) Computer Science (students will split time between University of Cumbria’s Lancaster and Barrow campuses);
- BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing (providing teaching and placements in and around Barrow).
Professor Brian Webster-Henderson OBE, Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Cumbria said: "Barrow-in-Furness is poised for significant growth and as Cumbria’s university we aim to support this by developing the area’s broader skills agenda in alignment and collaboration with employers and partners serving the region. Together we are creating accessible progression routes in and through to higher education that will build skills in and for our region now and for future generations.”
- Learn more about the University of Cumbria Barrow campus at www.cumbria.ac.uk/barrow.
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Notes to editors
IMAGES - Credit: DAY Architectural
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)