New images show plans for Gloucestershire university campus

Plans to turn the former Debenhams store into a university campus were announced in March 2021

New images have revealed plans for a former Debenhams store that will be transformed into a university campus.

Nearly 4,000 students will attend the new University of Gloucestershire (UoG) campus at the old shop in Gloucester.

There will also be a new library, a public café and a health, arts and wellbeing centre in partnership with the NHS integrated care board.

More than 1,000 education, psychology and social work students will begin learning at the campus later this year.

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

The first students will begin studying at the new campus in late 2024

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

Richard Graham, Conservative MP for Gloucester, hopes the new campus will allow Gloucester to become "Britain's best small city".

"Easily accessible skills training is vital for our city centre regeneration," he said, adding: "I look forward to seeing the interior digital designs of the public spaces soon."

The café will be open to the public

UoG vice-chancellor, Clare Marchant, said the new campus presented a "unique opportunity for strengthening community connections".

"Having consolidated and strengthened our academic schools, we have taken the opportunity to look again at how our new Gloucester campus can best deliver a connected and high-quality student and staff experience and help us meet our ambitions to grow and be more connected to our community," she said.

"Having the teachers, psychologists and social workers of the future being trained in the heart of the city presents a unique opportunity for strengthening our community connections, through placements, research and outreach activity."