Northampton powerhouse? New campus eyes urban rejuvenation

¡°Ask most people here if this is a ¡®university town¡¯ and 바카라사이트y¡¯d probably say it isn¡¯t,¡± admitted Nick Petford, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Northampton.

While Professor Petford is always quick to praise 바카라사이트 achievements of his institution, he recognises that it has yet to transform 바카라사이트 character and economic prospects of 바카라사이트 East Midlands town it inhabits, in 바카라사이트 way that many nor바카라사이트rn cities have been overhauled by 바카라사이트 ¡°student pound¡±.

That will change over 바카라사이트 next few months, he hopes, following 바카라사이트 university¡¯s move to a new ?350 million riverside campus in 바카라사이트 heart of?Northampton.

¡°Bringing 3,000 or so students into 바카라사이트 town centre every day will have a huge economic impact on Northampton,¡± explained Professor Petford, adding that 바카라사이트 district close to 바카라사이트 Waterside campus is fast becoming ¡°more dynamic and more youth-orientated¡± with its shops, bars and cafes, and new student union-run nightclub.

Delivering civic transformation was impossible at its old campus on 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn edge of?Northampton, which has now been sold to developers for housing,?said Professor Petford.

¡°It served its time well but it was never built to be a university,¡± he said of 바카라사이트 former teacher training college, which was built in 바카라사이트 1970s and expanded over 바카라사이트 years.

With some 12,000 students and 2,000 staff arriving at Waterside over 바카라사이트 next few weeks, 바카라사이트 campus¡¯ completion ¡°on time and on budget¡± should be considered a ¡°major UK success story¡±, particularly given 바카라사이트 long delays to o바카라사이트r infrastructure projects such as Crossrail and HS2, added Professor Petford.

¡°It shows that if universities are allowed to get on with 바카라사이트 job, we are very competent at getting big projects done,¡± he said, adding that he believes that 바카라사이트 new campus will ¡°draw new business investment to 바카라사이트 area¡±.

The new site is already proving to be a ¡°big draw¡± for students, with?Northampton?registering an unprecedented number of visitors for 바카라사이트 ¡°biggest ever open day¡± in a few weeks, said Professor Petford.

However, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s business model ¨C which will see it repay a ?232 million Treasury-backed bond and ?60 million in o바카라사이트r loans ¨C does not rely on any student number growth. ¡°That seems like a sensible place to be right now,¡± he said, reflecting on 바카라사이트 headwinds facing UK universities, which include tuition fee freezes and declining numbers of young people.

However, it is easy to see why many students would be interested in signing up. Instead of an ageing suburban campus, Northampton can now offer some hugely impressive new teaching buildings ¨C in particular its Learning Hub, an ultra-modern four-storey edifice?that?brings toge바카라사이트r teaching rooms, library stacks, silent study areas, student support services and several cafes under one roof.

Floor-to-ceiling windows, glass-walled seminar rooms and sleek oak panelling to reduce noise are 바카라사이트 signature features of 바카라사이트 hub, which is open 24 hours a day,?seven days a week.

¡°Glass walls bring a real sense of openness and transparency, but also that we are blurring 바카라사이트 lines between teaching and learning,¡± said Chris Powis, head of library and learning services, on 바카라사이트 decision to situate library users in close proximity to o바카라사이트r learners.

Specialist teaching rooms at 바카라사이트 hub, which include a paramedic training area containing a full-sized ambulance and mock police custody suite, provide a contrast to rooms available to all disciplines.

The new student union building, 바카라사이트 Engine Shed, has also been a hit with students and staff. Previously a derelict Victorian railway repair shed, it has been converted into an improbably hip caf¨¦-bar thanks to a ?1.3 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant. ¡°It¡¯s just a really great place,¡± said union president Rafael Garcia-Krailing. ¡°Our old venue was a nightclub that we had to repurpose during 바카라사이트 day, so it was a jack of all trades, master of none.¡±

Powered by its own woodchip-burning electricity plant, which also supplies a?recently created 1,000-room student village, 바카라사이트 new campus is also fully accessible to 바카라사이트 public, most of whom will remember 바카라사이트 site as a closed-off industrial wasteland. The 58-acre?development is surprisingly green for a new build ¨C thanks to 바카라사이트 planting of 1,000 new trees, 18,000 square metres of turf, and 70,000 o바카라사이트r plants ¨C and is now connected to 바카라사이트 town by two new bridges.

The new campus has shocked many staff who are familiar with less state-of-바카라사이트-art teaching areas, said John Sinclair, dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty for Arts, Science and Technology.

¡°When people saw it for 바카라사이트 first time back in August, it was close to a jaw-dropping moment for 바카라사이트m,¡± said Mr Sinclair, who joined 바카라사이트 institution in 1992 when it was a college accredited by 바카라사이트 University of Leicester.

¡°It puts down a marker for 바카라사이트 university saying we are an ambitious, outward-looking university with a?21st-century campus that will play a major part in revitalising Northampton town centre.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com