University’s Warrington town centre skills provision gets the go-ahead from planners

PLANNING permission has been granted for the University of Chester to deliver education to the heart of Warrington town centre at a building which is currently empty in Time Square.

The University’s plans will support the UK’s recovery from the pandemic by providing opportunities for adults to further develop the skills needed for well-paid employment throughout their lives.

This reflects the pledge made by the Government to revolutionise skills and training opportunities in the Queen’s Speech today (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-to-revolutionise-skills-and-training-opportunities) It will also result in economic benefits by bringing the ‘student pound’ to the town centre.

The University has received planning permission for change of use of a unit in Time Square to F1 class (learning and non-residential institutions) which it is now leasing. This is part of its plans for town centre provision following the news that it will be locating its teaching provision from the ‘Padgate Campus’ into Warrington town centre over the next year. It has also completed the purchase of a property on Barbauld Street.

The Time Square space will be refurbished and equipped to be operational from mid-September 2021 and is to be the ‘shop front’ for the University in Warrington. It will host an information point for members of the public to engage and understand the learning opportunities available from the University. It will also include bookable learning space for students with laptops and digital resources, breakout spaces for seminars and a small lecture space for talks and events. This town centre location will also work with partners to showcase the opportunities available for both lifelong learners and businesses and will include offers from Further Education partners and key business support programmes, working with Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership.

It is proposed that a building on Barbauld Street, formerly called ‘Mersey Bank House’, will house the majority of the teaching provision, namely Education and Nursing, and has been renamed the ‘Sarah Parker Remond Building.’

More information can be found here https://www1.chester.ac.uk/news/university-chester-unveils-foundations-growth-town-centre?list=6800

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