Express & Echo (City & East Devon Edition)
Views wanted on uni’s ‘ambitious vision’ for historic St Luke’s campus
THE University of Exeter has revealed how it wants to redevelop its St Luke’s campus over the next 50 years.
The “ambitious long-term vision” is designed to boost health-related education and research in the coming decades.
A university spokesperson said it will directly benefit the local community by “creating more high-quality jobs, offering a world-class education on the doorstep and generating research which will have direct impacts on patient care.”
It aims to “ensure the campus is open and available as a community asset” to greatly improve the look of the site.
It follows on from engagement with university staff, students and the wider community in November 2023 about how the campus could be transformed.
The plans went on display last week and another engagement event takes place on Thursday, April 25, from 1pm to 7pm on the first floor of Cross Keys café at St Luke’s campus in Heavitree.
The project team will be on hand to answer any questions and attendees can provide feedback at the event or online.
The proposals are also available on the university’s website and an online feedback form will be live until Tuesday, May 7, at exeter.ac. uk/stlukesredevelopment.
The university’s Professor Richard Smith said: “We’re excited to showcase our vision for an ambitious redevelopment of our St Luke’s campus, which will significantly enhance the city’s position as a global centre of excellence in health and wellbeing in the coming decades.
“When we first gauged public views during the earliest stages we were told that people wanted us to retain the historic buildings and green spaces. I’m pleased to confirm that the proposal will enhance our chapel and our cloisters buildings and the green spaces at the heart of the campus. In the long term, it will create an open and inviting space that complements the surrounding areas and buildings.”
The proposal is potentially for seven new buildings at the campus over the coming decades. Each building and area to be developed would go through the usual planning process in turn and include further public consultation before any construction starts.
Professor Lisa Roberts, the university’s president and vice-chancellor, said: “The future vision for our St Luke’s campus will allow us to significantly grow our research in biomedical sciences so that we continue to make pioneering medical breakthroughs that benefit people across the world. It will put us in an incredible position to translate our research into new treatments and technologies, and provide medical education to train tomorrow’s future health leaders and researchers.
“The proposed vision will upgrade our beautiful and vibrant campus, leading to the creation of high-quality jobs and boosting the surrounding areas as part of Exeter’s health quarter.”
St Luke’s was founded in 1854 as a teacher training college, which is now delivered through the university’s School of Education.
The campus has a proud 170-year history of delivering high-quality research and training, with an increasing focus on health and wellbeing since the University of Exeter Medical School was established a decade ago.
Now, the campus also houses the Academy of Nursing, and activities including biomedical, public health, the UK’s number one sports and health sciences research groups, as well as the training of the next generation of nurses, doctors, medical scientists, and radiographers.
The vision for the campus aims to build on the close proximity to the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the Devon Partnership NHS Trust to help stimulate an expansion of health-related activity, which would mean health and economic benefits for the area.