Opening of new university campus delayed

The opening of a new university campus in the centre of Gloucester has been delayed.

Located in the former Debenhams building in Kings Square, the campus was expected to be ready to open in "late 2024".

The department store served its final customers in May 2021, with the University of Gloucestershire announcing two months earlier that it was buying the art deco building.

But the university's vice-chancellor, Clare Marchant, told the BBC the campus will now open in a "phased way in 2025".

The City Campus will include a new library, a public café and a health, arts and wellbeing centre.

Ms Marchant said: “City Campus continues to be an exciting and complex project.

"We have informed staff, students and other stakeholders of our intention to open City Campus facilities in a phased way in 2025.

"We look forward to showing students, staff and members of the public our fantastic new campus as soon as we can next year.”

In March, the university said that more than 1,000 education, psychology and social work students would begin learning at the campus in "late 2024".

The site will become home to nearly 4,000 students when complete.

A programme of business and community engagement is part of the overall plans, including a student-led law clinic, which will provide free legal advice to local people.

The university is also bringing forward plans to create an Institute for Education at the new campus.

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.