PLANS for a new multi-million-pound university campus in Barrow have taken a step forward as board members visited the site.

Members of Brilliant Barrow Town Deal Board, which consists of people from a range of organisations, visited the site of the new campus on Barrow Island.

Courses will open from 2024 with student numbers set to increase to 1,400 places by 2031.

Steve Cole, CIO & Operational Improvement Director at BAE Systems Ltd and Chair of the Brilliant Barrow Town Deal Board, said: "This new campus building will mean that Barrow becomes a university town to give people of all ages the chance to go into higher education without having to move away.

"The project is now at a crucial stage as we move closer to seeing activity on site including groundworks and construction.

The Mail: An artist impression of the new campusAn artist impression of the new campus (Image: Westmorland and Furness council)

"Viewing the site together as a board was such a valuable experience. We look forward to seeing the new campus building brought to life as we continue through the delivery stage of the Brilliant Barrow programme."

In 2021 the Government's Towns Fund granted Barrow £25 million, the maximum amount of funding possible, for seven projects.

The Brilliant Barrow Town Deal Board is working with Westmorland and Furness Council as well as partner organisations including the University of Cumbria, Furness College and Natural England to complete the projects before 2026.

Once completed, the University of Cumbria-operated facility will offer degree-level courses for more than 1,400 students by 2031.

The campus will initially offer programmes aligned to areas including advanced manufacturing, computing as well as supply chain and logistics.

Brilliant Barrow Board member and University of Cumbria Vice Chancellor, Professor Julie Mennell, said: “This is a campus that will offer innovative, inclusive facilities and provision for a wide range of people, helping to transform lives and the communities in which people live.

“Meeting as a board and being able to see where the campus will be located, visualising its prominent position on Barrow Island looking towards Barrow, has been a powerful exercise. Not least, in reinforcing the increased reach and accessibility of higher education in, for and from Barrow this project will deliver and the positive and long-lasting impact this will have.”

The campus will be located on a 2.6-hectare site provided by BAE Systems Ltd next to the Submarine Academy of Skills and Knowledge and will form part of The Barrow Learning Quarter project.

The project also includes work to revitalise and upgrade the learning environment at Barrow Sixth Form College. The 14-month programme of work at the Rating Lane campus began earlier this year.