Uni of Salford builds momentum with 80,000 sq ft business school plan
Crescent House on the A6 is to be demolished and replaced with a modern teaching facility as part of the university and ECF’s ongoing efforts to expand and improve the campus.
Working with architect BDP, the University of Salford is preparing to submit a planning application for an 80,000 sq ft business school in the coming weeks.
The building will provide a hub for students taking courses in business management, HR, supply chain and logistics, digital business, law, marketing, economics, and accounting and finance.
Before the plans are lodged with Salford City Council, the university will hold a public consultation event on Wednesday 23 September from 3pm-7pm at the Maxwell Building so that residents can learn more about the scheme and have their say.
The investment is described by the university as the “largest to date” within its Campus Connectivity Plan, which has already seen the delivery of the £65m Science, Engineering and Environment Building and the Greater Manchester Institute of Technology.
Construction of new homes for the university’s acoustics and health departments are ongoing, while earlier this month, plans for the refurbishment of Faraday House into a hub for university staff were approved.
Faraday House is located on the other side of Hemsley House from the site of the proposed business school.
BDP is leading on design. Credit: via University of Salford
Professor Katy Mason, pro vice-chancellor at the University of Salford, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to create a new home for Salford Business School that reflects the future of business education and research. The proposed building will bring together students, colleagues, industry partners and the wider community in a modern, collaborative environment designed to inspire new ways of learning, working and innovating.
She added: “Sustainability, digital transformation and smart immersive technologies are central to us being able to create a building that supports our ambitions for research, industry collaboration, enhanced student experience and improved graduate outcomes.”
Salford Business School will also sit within the £2.5bn, 240-acre Crescent Salford masterplan being delivered by ECF, Salford City Council and the University of Salford.
In total, the masterplan covers 240 acres and aims to deliver 3,000 homes and 1.5m sq ft of workspace over the coming years.
Charlie Alcroft, development manager at ECF, said: “The launch of the consultation for the new business school follows planning approval for Faraday and marks the next step in regenerating this area of Salford.
“The Crescent is home to a wealth of cultural and historical assets and by upgrading underutilised spaces surrounding them, we’re creating the start of a diverse neighbourhood that brings together innovation, education and leisure to create somewhere to live, learn, work and visit.”
Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett added: “The University of Salford is a hugely important anchor institution in our city and this proposed investment is another significant step in the transformation of the Crescent and the wider regeneration of Salford.
“A new business school has the potential to create an outstanding environment for education, research and innovation, while strengthening the connections between our university, businesses, communities and the opportunities being created across our growing economy. Importantly, it can help equip students with the skills employers need and support more people to build successful careers here in Salford and across Greater Manchester.”
Chroma is the project manager, Abacus and Pick Everard are advising on cost.
- Credit: via University of Salford
- Credit: via University of Salford
