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University expansion drives on
THE next multi-million-pound phase of one of the biggest university developments in the country was officially launched yesterday.
The next stage of the massive 500m expansion of York University has been unveiled amid plans to capitalise on the region's burgeoning digital and creative industries as well as established sectors such as law.
The latest work at the university's Heslington East campus is expected to cost 66m and will see new headquarters created for the departments of theatre, film and TV, computer science, the York Management School and York Law School.
One of the key elements of the next stage of the development will be the construction of a hub building which will provide training and act as a spur for the creative technologies industries as well as hosting research groups.
The expansion of York University is expected to create up to 4,500 jobs and is seen as vital in driving forward the region's economy.
A York University spokesman said: "The expansion of the Heslington campus builds on the university's strong reputation for teaching and research and will be home to new facilities that will benefit staff, students and the wider community.
"This development will also play an important part in supporting the region's future economic success, providing training, research facilities and expertise which help new and existing businesses thrive."
University vice-chancellor Professor Brian Cantor was yesterday joined by y staff and students, as well as representatives from the design and construction teams, for a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of work on the four academic departments and hub building.
BAM Construction has been appointed for the next phase of the development, which is aiming to allow the campus to rival Oxford and Cambridge and create a global reputation.
The first building on the Heslington East site, the new Goodricke College which is being built by Shepherd Construction, is almost completed and will welcome its first students in October.
The new academic buildings are due to be ready by October next year.
The development is being themed heavily around the environment to meet exacting carbon reduction and renewable energy targets. A biomass boiler is being installed to generate hot water using woodchip from sustainable sources.
Land for the expansion has been allocated since 1967, but the proposals have taken on an added urgency as York's economy has undergone a dramatic shift in recent years.
York's traditional manufacturing sector has been gradually replaced with a growing reliance on hi-tech industry, such as research and development and digital media.
The Yorkshire Post revealed yesterday that one of the first business centres of its kind nationally had been launched in the city to capitalise on the region's new digital generation and combat the recession.
The Phoenix Centre at York St John University is providing a base for fledgling businesses, as well as promoting the creative and digital sector across Yorkshire and the North-East.
The centre is one of the first schemes of its kind to be set up on the actual campus of a university to provide access to specialist technical facilities as well as business support, mentoring and training.
Science City York, a business and skills development initiative which was established in 1998, has helped drive forward North Yorkshire's bioscience and IT sectors as well as digital and creative industries.
In the last decade, the company has helped create 99 new technology firms and 2,800 jobs.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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