University to showcase Springfield at MIPIM

University to showcase Springfield at MIPIM

A delegation from the University of Wolverhampton will travel to a major real estate event this week to showcase opportunities at its new Springfield Campus.

Led by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Jackie Dunne, the group will join up with the City of Wolverhampton Council and the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership at MIPIM 2016 in Cannes, France.

The exhibition is one of the world’s leading property events taking place between March 15 and 18. The University will be talking to delegates about opportunities at the 12 acre former brewery site in Wolverhampton.

The site is part of a £100m jointly-funded redevelopment to transform it into a centre of excellence for the Built Environment. The ‘Springfield Campus’ will transform higher education delivery in the region, responding to employer demand, and providing lifelong learning, research and innovation in one of the Black Country’s key growth sectors.

The University’s School of Architecture and the Built Environment will be relocated there with plans being developed to create a new home which will include a part new build and part refurbishment the Grade II listed buildings currently on the site.

This will join the newly opened West Midlands Construction UTC – which is currently on site, and is due to open in its new home in November 2016 and the Elite Centre for Manufacturing Skills, which was recently announced by the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, and is due to open in November 2017.

A further six acres is available for development, offering the opportunity for industry partners to co-locate on the campus - providing a chance to work with the university to develop, showcase, and upskill the sector in the latest smart and sustainable innovations. 

Jackie Dunne said: “It’s a fantastic chance to show the world what Wolverhampton and the University has to offer. We are very excited about the redevelopment at Springfield and feel there are some great opportunities on the rest of the site which can complement what we are doing.

“The ambition is that, when complete, it will be the leading centre for built environment and construction not only in the UK but in Europe.

“We see this as key in helping bring investment into the City and the wider region, creating employment opportunities, raising skills levels and aspirations, as well as acting as a catalyst for social and economic regeneration across the area.”

MIPIM is the world’s leading property forum, bringing together the most influential figures from all international property sectors - office, residential, retail, healthcare, sport, logistics and industrial, offering unrivalled access to the greatest number of development projects and sources of capital worldwide.

For more information and development news, visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/springfield

ENDS

For more information please contact James Allen in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322003.

Date Issued: Monday 14 March 2016