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Neil Tague
Warrington Council has signed off a change of use application, allowing the development of a “shop front” for the University of Chester at the town centre mixed-use scheme.
The 15,400 sq ft project is part of the university’s plans for town centre provision, as it seeks to relocate teaching provision from the Padgate campus, now deemed unfit for purpose, over the next year.
Terms were agreed in principle at the Time Square development in January, with the purchase of the 23,000 sq ft Mersey Bank House in Barbauld Street following in March – this will house the majority of teaching space in education and nursing.
Time Square THE University of Chester has been granted planning permission to move to Warrington town centre. Warrington Borough Council has approved an application which will see the university take up residence in the £142million Time Square development. It will occupy units located between the Botanist and Cineworld as part of plans to move operations away from its Padgate campus from September this year. Submission documents stated: “The University of Chester’s proposal to create a new town centre offer is part of a wider initiative to improve the university’s presence within the town centre. “The purpose of the new university centre is to improve accessibility, to expand the teaching and learning offer, to deliver localised continuing professional development, short courses and conference events and to widen access to the local community and school groups.
Dan Whelan
Mersey Bank House on Barbauld Street is to become one of the university’s new town centre locations, after it bought the property as part of plans to relocate from its Padgate Campus.
The University of Chester has acquired the 23,000 sq ft Warrington office block, which was previously occupied by HM Revenue & Customs, from an Isle of Man-based private investor for an undisclosed sum.
The three-storey building has been vacant since 2018 and the university plans to convert the property into a centre for its education and nursing courses.
Once complete, the property is to be renamed the Sarah Parker Remond Building, after the black women’s rights and anti-slavery campaigner who travelled to Warrington to give a series of speeches in the 1800s.