The University of Gloucestershire will be unveiling its City Campus to the public next Monday (August 18), marking a historic moment for the institution and the city of Gloucester.
This significant milestone is the result of years of dedication, collaboration and investment, transforming the former Debenhams site into a cutting-edge centre for teaching, learning and community services.
The University acquired the building in 2021 and has since been working with Morgan Sindall to revamp this 20,000 m2 site, creating a lively new hub in the heart of Gloucester.
The City Campus now houses the University’s Education, Psychology and Social Work programmes, signifying a substantial investment in the facilities for these crucial courses.
As part of this project, which will play a pivotal role in the regeneration of Gloucester City Centre, the building will also provide shared public access facilities.
These include a new Arts, Health and Wellbeing Centre delivered in partnership with the NHS Integrated Care Board, and a new public library in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council.
Since construction commenced, City Campus has already delivered social value worth £22.95 million to the local area through job creation, forging fresh partnerships with businesses and third sector organisations, and maintaining environmental responsibility throughout the building phase.
Environmental considerations have remained at the heart of the project’s implementation strategy – for instance, obsolete gas heating systems have been substituted with air source heat pumps, leading to substantial carbon emission reductions.
Dame Clare Marchant, DBE, Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: “This is a hugely proud moment for University of Gloucestershire and for all our partners who have supported us throughout this ground-breaking and complex journey.
“City Campus is a game-changer for Gloucester and the wider Gloucestershire community. As well as providing our students with a fantastic, future-proofed learning experience, City Campus will bring substantial long-term social, educational and economic benefits to the region.
“By providing us with a presence in the centre of Gloucester, City Campus really is the embodiment of our vision of being the connected university. We are right at the heart of the community we serve, and over the coming weeks and months we look forward to forging ever-closer ties with our new neighbours – be they businesses, educators, voluntary sector organisations or community groups.
“To everybody who lives or works in Gloucester – this is your City Campus. Our doors are open. Please come in.”
The location features a Victorian section alongside parts constructed during the 1930s and 1950s, making the redevelopment particularly challenging.
Nevertheless, maintaining the historical significance and distinctive character of this landmark structure has remained paramount throughout the entire process.
Richard Fielding, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Midlands, said: “The transformation of the former Debenhams building into the University of Gloucestershire’s City Campus demonstrates our commitment to honouring the past while building for the future.
“This iconic structure tells the story of Gloucester’s evolution across more than a century, and so preserving its heritage and character has been absolutely imperative throughout the project.”
“Our Morgan Sindall Construction team feels truly privileged to play a role in the building’s complex transformation, which now stands as proof that heritage preservation and progressive development are complementary values that, when combined, create spaces that honour history, while still serving the contemporary needs of the city.
“It’s great to reach the completion milestone so we can now hand over the building for the next generation to enjoy.”
The launch also signals the beginning of a fresh era for the city’s already thriving creative health sector, as the structure houses a newly established Arts, Health and Wellbeing Centre (AHWC) supported by ICB funding. Tracey Cox, Director of People, Culture and Engagement at NHS Gloucestershire, expressed her excitement about the new City Campus: “We are proud to be part of the new City Campus and can’t wait to get started with courses and workshops in the new Arts, Health and Wellbeing Centre.”
She added: “We know Gloucestershire is already leading the way when it comes to arts health and creative therapies and this will help us support even more people and communities in the city and wider county. We couldn’t do any of this without the support of our partners in the VCSE sector and they will be vital to our continued success.”
Cox also highlighted the benefits for the local workforce: “It will also be a huge boost to the work already being done to strengthen the health and care workforce in Gloucestershire through excellent learning and training opportunities. We know the City Campus will inspire the lives of everyone who uses it.”
The City Campus, which is set to open in the autumn, will also house the City’s library, currently located on Brunswick Road.
Cllr. Paul Hodgkinson, Cabinet member for libraries at Gloucestershire County Council, shared his enthusiasm: “It’s such fantastic news that this state-of-the-art facility is nearing completion. Not only will the transformed building breathe new life into King’s Square, but it will also provide wonderful new facilities to library users when we move in next month. Co-locating with the City Campus will create a vibrant, dynamic and inspirational new environment in Gloucester.”
The £200 million regeneration of Kings Square in Gloucester includes the City Campus project among others. The Forum, a £107 million office, residential and retail development by Gloucester City Council, is also part of this transformation.
Jeremy Hilton, Leader of Gloucester City Council, expressed his excitement: “Gloucester City Centre is transforming into a vibrant, sustainable, and economically thriving hub before our eyes, and it is wonderful to have University of Gloucestershire’s City Campus at the heart of it. The Forum, which will have some of the most high-tech business facilities in the UK, a new hotel and retail facilities, and the ambitious plans we have for the Greyfriars Quarter, are all helping to put life back into our amazing, historic city.”
Alex McIntyre, MP for Gloucester, echoed these sentiments: “This new campus and wider regeneration of King’s Square will be transformative for our city, delivering a vibrant student community, potential for new businesses to cater for them and the new Forum development and a new county library. I can’t wait to see the new City Campus come to life over the coming months.”
Image credit: University of Gloucestershire
Image l-r: Cllr Jeremy Hilton (Leader of Gloucester City Council), Cllr Colin Hay (Deputy Leader, Gloucestershire County Council), Richard Fielding (Area Director Morgan Sindall), Dame Clare Marchant (Vice-Chancellor UoG), Hannah Gorf (Senior Programme Manager, Glos ICB), Katerina Kantartzis (Lead: Arts, Health and Wellbeing Centre), Claire Knight (Marketing & Business Engagement Lead, Gloucester BID) and Izzy Townsend (Marketing Assistant, Gloucester BID).
