Mace and University of West England reach major milestone
Media
25/08/2009
The masterplanning project for University of West England's main Frenchay campus site has reached the end of its strategic options stage. Mace Group is providing project management services on the masterplan project which will provide the framework for a £150m programme of development over the next ten years.
UWE deputy vice chancellor John Rushworth said of the project: "Mace was set a very ambitious target progamme by the university to deliver the strategic options report before the end of the academic year. The project team responded in an enthusiastic and focused way to deliver a quality report on time that has given us the information we need to decide upon the next steps in its future planning."
Mace is helping the University's estates team to engage and involve staff, students and the local community in shaping the future plans for the whole campus through a series of consultation events over the coming months. An exhibition of the latest proposals was set up in July and staff, students and visitors were encouraged to attend to discuss the proposals. Other events also included a workshop for key external stakeholders followed by an open exhibition for local neighbours and businesses.
The consultation events are part of a wider communications exercise, including using a dedicated website, e-communications, university publications and public leaflets to ensure that anyone interested knows what is going on and can respond to and be part of the ongoing discussions as the masterplanning project progresses. The UWE masterplanning team will continue to work up its proposals ready for more public consultation in October leading to a final masterplan being submitted to South Gloucestershire Council at the end of the year.
University of West England is one of the largest higher education establishments in the UK and has recently acquired 70 acres of development land from its neighbour, Hewlett Packard, providing an opportunity to completely transform the institution. How much of this land will be developed is one of the questions which will be addressed by the masterplan. UWE has 28,000 students, an annual turnover of £200m and is the largest online virtual learning campus-based university in the UK.
To read more about Mace's work in the higher and further education sector follow this link: http://www.macegroup.com/sectors/public-sector/education-further-and-higher
