University of Glasgow £1Bn expansion project gets go ahead

Planning permission has been granted for the University of Glasgow’s £1Bn expansion project.

The project, described as one of the largest educational expansions in the country, will see the former Western Infirmary demolished and the campus extended in its place.

Around £430M will be spent on the first phase of the development over the course of the next five years.

The plans for the initial phase include an Institute of Health and Wellbeing; the Adam Smith Business School; a learning and teaching hub; and an upgrade to the chemistry building, plus a base for the College of Arts with new performance spaces.

The second phase is due to get underway in 2023 and is set to include a new teaching and research space for engineering; a Social Justice Hub and an Innovation Quarter.

The project will see the creation of up to 3,000 jobs.

The University of Glasgow hopes to increase student numbers, particularly post-graduate students.

Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Anton Muscatelli, said: “We are delighted that Glasgow City Council has endorsed our ambitious plan which we believe will be a major economic driver for the city and for Scotland as well as underpin this university’s world-leading position.

“The decision to approve the masterplan is pivotal to allowing us to start this development. An initial financial envelope of around £430m will be spent over the next five years on the first phase of the project. It is part of a wider £1bn investment which includes significant spend on refurbishing and improving the existing estate. This will be one of the biggest educational infrastructure projects in Scotland’s history and is certainly the biggest development undertaken by this University since it moved to Gilmorehill 150 years ago.

“We are very aware that whilst we undertake this scale of construction that we must minimise disruption to both the University community and the West End and the University will work closely with community groups to ensure we respect those living and working in the area.”

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