Building Our Future
University unveils £75m 'new' City Campus
An ambitious multi-million pound vision to dramatically change the face of the University of Sunderland's City Campus has been unveiled.
Around £75m will be spent on the City Centre site to ensure it continues to offer one of the best student experiences in higher education.
Plans for the former Chester Road Campus include an iconic sport and recreation facility, high quality hotel and conferencing, new student accommodation, new University Square, widespread landscaping and traffic calming.
The 'new' City Campus will complement the award-winning Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's and offer the rarity of campuses located by the sea and in a city centre.
The new plans build on the successful redevelopment work already carried out on the City Campus - particularly at Edinburgh Building, The Gateway and Murray Library.
The flagship of the new development is CitySpace, which will be built on City Campus, Chester Road.
The £11m sports and recreation facility will have a six-badminton court sports hall, 70 station fitness suite, sports massage and injuries centre, multi-purpose room, indoor climbing wall, retail, social, catering, leisure and exhibition spaces.
University Sport Sunderland will be based in the new building, increasing its ability to help provide expertise to the University's own elite athletes, Olympians and the region's professional sportspeople.
The new centre will also be a strong addition to the university's support for world athletes after being chosen as a Pre-Olympic Training Provider for the 2012 London Games.
Equally important is that staff and students use the facility daily - whether for serious sport, social sport, recreation or social gathering. The local community will also be encouraged to use the centre and other facilities on the 'new' City Campus.
The University's civic vision was an important factor in the development process as the University has always played a major role in the prosperity of the city. This £75m development is seen as adding considerably to the ongoing physical regeneration of the city.
For further information contact Steve Heywood on 0191 515 2691 or email: steve.heywood@sunderland.ac.uk
