Work set to start on new £1bnGlasgowcampus
WORK is due to start on bringing a £1billion university development to the West End as it was revealed the first phase will commence next month.
Glasgow University has said contractors will soon be on site to begin the initial steps of the expansion of the Gilmorehill campus.
The work will eventually see the demolition of the first building to be levelled – the Maths and Statistics building on University Avenue.
The contractor John Graham (Holdings) Ltd will be deployed on site to clear the way for a demolition team to get on the site which will lead on to groundworkers getting on the site.
The Partick Community Council were told at a project delivery update the work will begin in May.
The group said: “Attendees learned of the appointment of a contractor to deliver the demolition of existing buildings on the site of the university’s new Learning and Teaching Hub on University Avenue and on the former Western Infirmary site.”
The community group were also told the main demolition work, when it takes place, will take approximately eight weeks and will start after August this year.
A spokesman for the University of Glasgow said: “We can confirm that John Graham (Holdings) Ltd have been awarded the contract to carry out the enabling work to prepare for the construction of a new Learning and Teaching Hub on University Avenue.
“The construction of the learning and teaching hub will be a separate contract which we are not in a position to discuss at this stage.
“The enabling works for the hub include the demolition of the maths & statistics building as well as other elements such as strip-out, service diversions and grouting.
“We recently invited representatives of the local community to meet with us as part of our ongoing commitment to consult and engage prior to the commencement of this major and exciting development.”
The university announced last year it plans to transform the 14-acre site of the old Western Infirmary to extend its Gilmorehill campus in what is described as one of the largest education developments in Scotland.
The first stage of work will see £430million spent over five years on the creation of a research and innovation hub, and new buildings for arts, health, business and chemistry departments.
It would also see public routes and a square linking the campus to Byres Road.