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Green light for super-campus

City backs ambitious Hulme plans

THE UNIVERSITY’s ambitious plans for a new super-campus in Hulme have received formal backing from Manchester City Council.

The Strategic Development Framework for Birley Fields was approved at yesterday’s (June 24) meeting of the Executive, the political decision making body of the Council.

The 45,000 square metre site – the last large development site in the city-south area - will now pass into MMU ownership as the future home of 6,000 staff and students from the Institute of Education and the Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social Care.

The £120 million package will deliver outstanding teaching and research spaces, a student information point, student accommodation, car parking, shared community facilities and a major public square fronting Stretford Road. The new campus will be at the cutting edge of sustainable building design and will be supported by a robust travel plan.

Heart of our community

Vice-Chancellor Professor John Brooks said: "A brand new campus is not only good news for students and staff but puts the university into the heart of the community it serves creating new links and opportunity."

Sir Richard leese, Leader of Manchester City Council said: "MMU’s proposal has the potential to herald a new chapter in the regeneration of Hulme. As well as the jobs it directly creates there will be significant spin-off benefits for businesses as students and staff spend money in the area. Crucially, it will also open up new higher education opportunities for local people."

Shortly, the University will be appointing architects who will undertake a wide consultation process with staff about the future shape and content of learning and teaching spaces, and about the general layout of academic buildings.

The City Council decision also opens a three-month period of public consultation to inform the formal planning process. A supporting website includes the supporting documentation around the proposals.

Superb team

Director of Services at MMU Mary Heaney said: "The decision reached at the City Council Executive is testimony to a superb level of partnership working between Hulme and Moss Side councillors, officers of the council, University staff and our external partners.

"I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in getting the project to this stage in just 11 months."

If Hulme and Moss Side residents would like to learn more about the proposals, ask questions or give their views, a joint University-City Council team will be visiting a host of venues in the coming weeks:

Wednesday July 1 – Aquarius Community Centre, 4 – 6pm
Saturday July 11 - ASDA Hulme, 10am – 1pm
Monday July 13 – Kath Locke Centre, 12.30 – 2pm
Tuesday July 14 – North Hulme Adventure Playground, 3.15 – 4.15pm
Wednesday July 15 – Greenheys Adult Learning Centre, 11.45am – 1.45pm
Thursday July 16 – ASDA Hulme, 4 – 7pm
Saturday July 18 - Caribbean Carnival, Alexandra Park, 12 – 4pm
Monday July 20 – Moss Side Leisure Centre, 5.30 – 7.30pm
Wednesday July 22 – Zion Community Health Centre, 12noon – 3pm
Thursday, July 23 – Hulme library, 4 – 6pm
Friday July 24 – Hulme Garden Centre 2 – 4 pm
Saturday July 25 – Hulme Library 9.30 – 11.30am
Monday July 27 – Windrush Millennium Centre, 12 – 2pm
Wednesday July 29 – Greenheys Lane Mosque 7-9pm
Thursday July 30 - New Hope Fellowship Church (Tatton Street),
12.30-2.30pm

For more information, please contact Gareth Hollyman in the Marketing and Communications Office on ext. 3406 or email g.hollyman@mmu.ac.uk.

Published Thursday, 25th June 2009