University invests £59M in new campus teaching and leisure facilities

Posted on Sunday 25 September 2016

First to open its doors in the autumn of 2016 is the £13.8 million Spring Lane Learning and Teaching Building, which will provide modern teaching spaces, including a 350 seat lecture theatre, 26 seminar rooms, and study meeting areas.  

The new 2016/17 term also sees the opening of the £16 million Biology teaching and laboratory facility.  This new three-storey building, brings together all laboratory teaching and student administration support under the same roof, with the addition of project workspace for postgraduate students. 

Vice-Chancellor Professor Koen Lamberts said: “This new investment will create a number of natural campus hubs for students to be able to work, both independently and as a team, in a vibrant and creative space.  Our campus is designed to encourage collaboration and bring students together to share ideas and support each other as they progress through their studies.” 

Premier standard

A £2.2 million Sports Hall is expected to open in November 2016; this replaces the former sports facility and will provide a central, premier standard, multi-sports court for recreational and performance level basketball, netball, badminton, futsal, hockey and volleyball. The area can be divided into three sections, which can each accommodate a basketball or volleyball court or up to four badminton courts. 

Work has also started on the Piazza Building on Campus East, which will be home to a 350-seat auditorium; a 350-seat restaurant opposite the lake; 30 flexible learning spaces; and a large open-plan area for student activities and societies. 

Diverse community

The University’s new International Pathway College (IPC) will move to the new Piazza Building when it opens in 2018.  The IPC, which welcomes its first cohort of students this term, provides academic preparation programmes for more than 300 international students looking to progress to degree programmes at York. 

Professor Lamberts added: “By investing in our campus we aim to provide an environment that students will enjoy living and working in.  We have a diverse student community and it is important that our facilities serve their needs and prepare them for successful careers in the future.”