The University of Glasgow will invest £1 billion in the development over 10 years.

The first phase of development will see an investment of around £430 million over the next five years.

Aerial view of the proposed developments on the former Western Infirmary site - impression courtesy Aecom and 7N ArchitectsThe investment will deliver:

  • A Research Hub, housing large-scale interdisciplinary projects and incubator space for spin-out collaborations with industry. This will encourage further innovation development.
  • A new public square with pedestrian and cycle links from Byres Road to the Kelvingrove Park and the emerging Cultural Quarter.
  • Refurbishment of five listed buildings: The Chapel, the Outpatients building, the Macgregor building, the Tennent Institute and the Anderson College.
  • Further new buildings to house: Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Adam Smith Business School and new postgraduate teaching space, the College of Arts, the College of Science and Engineering, and a Centre for Chronic Diseases.
  • Commercial opportunities, including a hotel, restaurant, bars, cafes and retail.
  • A state-of-the-art Learning and Teaching Hub adjacent to the Boyd Orr building on University Avenue and improved learning and teaching facilities across the campus.
  • Refurbishment of the Boyd Orr building and the Joseph Black building.

Economic impact

Our development has the potential to contribute an additional 2,500 jobs to the local economy, and £130m of GVA (Gross value added - the measure of the value of goods and services produced in an area, industry or sector of an economy).

The Learning and Teaching Hub – University Avenue

  • Learning and Teaching Hub - impression courtesy HLM ArchitectsThe Learning and Teaching Hub will be the first new building to be developed. It will offer high quality teaching space with flexibility to adapt learning spaces to suit the needs of each group of students.
  • The building will provide: more than 1,850 teaching spaces including four flat-floor lecture theatres, a 500-seat raked lecture theatres and seminar rooms plus an additional 1,100 learning and study spaces.
  • Together, the refurbished Boyd Orr building and the new Learning and Teaching Hub, which will be physically linked, will have the capacity to house one fifth of all University students at any one time, offering 5,000 learning and teaching spaces.

Demolition

  • Demolition of the former Western Infirmary site will take place in phases; the first phase clearing most of the central area of the site will start in Summer 2017.
  • Demolition of the Mathematics and Statistics building on University Avenue will start in Spring 2017.

Construction

Phase 1a: 2017-22

  • Learning & Teaching Hub on University Avenue: this will be the first to start on site early 2017, due for completion in 2019.
  • Research Hub
  • Institute of Health & Wellbeing
  • Building to house the Adam Smith Business School and offer space for postgraduate students
  • Partial relocation of the College of Arts
  • Joseph Black building refurbishment

Phase 1b: 2023-26

  • Centre for Chronic Diseases
  • Social Justice Hub located in the Gilbert Scott building
  • Engineering building for teaching and research
  • Innovation Quarter on Church Street

Where’s the money coming from?

The total development is expected to cost around £1 billion over 10 years.

Around £430 million will be invested during the first five year phase.

Income for the first two stages – phases 1a and 1b – will be accounted for as follows:

  • £200m current cash in bank
  • £175m borrowing
  • £55m fundraising
  • £400m from our own income over the period (£40m/year)

The £200m for phase 2 will also be from our own income.

Find out more

  • Campus development

First published: 21 February 2017

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