New UWS campus
Work will begin on the University of the West of Scotland’s new campus this month.
The new facility will be based at Hamilton International Technology Park, with its relocation estimated to be worth up to £443million to the local economy over the next 25 years.
Construction work is set to get underway this month on the University of the West of Scotland’s new state-of-the-art campus.
The 38-acre ultra-modern facility will be at Hamilton International Technology Park (HITP), just two miles from the existing site in Almada Street.
While the first students will move in by 2018, the decision to relocate within South Lanarkshire is estimated to be worth £443million to the local economy over the next 25 years.
The Advertiser launched a Keep UWS in Hamilton campaign last year after it emerged there was a proposal to move to Maxim Park, near Eurocentral in North Lanarkshire.
Professor Craig Mahoney, principal and vice-chancellor of UWS, said: “Our new campus marks a significant stage in the development of UWS and will be a major boost for Lanarkshire, bringing exciting social and economic benefits, as well as creating the go-to study destination for students from across Scotland, the UK and further afield.
“We have plans to deliver some of the most innovative learning spaces in the UK and look forward to working with our partners to make this highly ambitious development a reality.”
The vision is that the new campus will be one of the UK’S ‘greenest’ educational environments, with carbon neutral buildings incorporating features such as 100 per cent renewable power. The student experience will be central to the development with social spaces, highquality residential accommodation, top-end sports facilities and a students’ union.
The decision to remain in South Lanarkshire is estimated to be worth at least £443million to the local economy over the next quarter of a century according to an independent report prepared for South Lanarkshire Council. In addition to the 254 staff currently employed by UWS on the campus, at least 1180 full-time equivalent positions are supported outwith the campus itself.
Eddie Mcavoy, South Lanarkshire Council leader, said: “This is a very important day for Hamilton and for South Lanarkshire. Having UWS commit to the town is a major achievement, and now that we have the details of their plans to create one of the UK’S greenest ecocampuses, the benefits of keeping the university here are clearer than ever.”
South Lanarkshire Council and UWS have agreed that once the campus has relocated, the current site will be the focus of a large-scale regeneration project in a bid to stimulate economic growth.
Christina Mckelvie, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse said: “The redevelopment of the UWS Hamilton campus integrating into the Hamilton International Technology Park has the potential to help reshape the town centre. It allows for the town centre to become a hub of social, educational and technological activity. I am delighted that construction work will begin this month and the partnership has been agreed with South Lanarkshire Council.”
Monica Lennon, Central Scotland MSP and councillor for Hamilton North and East, said: “I’m delighted that plans to create a new UWS campus in Hamilton have now been formally confirmed and construction can get underway.”