The new ARU Peterborough campus is under construction on the Embankment site, close to the city centre and transport links.
The campus will create a new high-quality space for the city and establish a strong identity for the new university in Peterborough, transforming an under-utilised concrete car park into a green, well landscaped campus which will be fully accessible to the public.
Priority has been given to pedestrian, cycle and public transport use. The university building will be approached by an extension of the existing foot and cycle paths from the city, arriving at a new forecourt that will access the main entrance.
Vehicles will access operational parking, a drop-off and accessible parking spaces by an improved existing entrance to the Wirrina car park to the east of the building. Inside there will be spaces for teaching, learning and some offices.
The building has been located to be visible from the city and to passers-by from the road and on foot. It will be three storeys high, with plenty of glass to provide good daylight and natural ventilation as well as encompassing the views of Peterborough Cathedral, from the inside and outside of the building. On the ground floor on the south side there will be a colonnade providing shelter when required as well as terrace seating. The front entrance is a main feature of the building located alongside the state-of-the-art lecture theatre. An open terrace on the second floor provides an external space with views towards the cathedral.
A colonnade to the south provides a sheltered, welcoming access. The roof has a series of distinctive pyramidal lanterns which not only give a strong, identifiable skyline in the city but, more importantly, enable it to be naturally ventilated and bring more daylight into the heart of the building.
The university building has a very open aspect to the south and west to a well-landscaped campus garden, with solar shading to help reduce energy requirements and provide a comfortable internal environment. We have a green roof to increase biodiversity and control rain-water run off rates along with photo voltaic panels to generate electricity from sunshine. Good views are provided towards the cathedral and Bishop’s Road.
Key milestones for ARU Peterborough | Date |
---|---|
ARU announced as academic partner | June 2020 |
Planning application for building proposals to be submitted | July 2020 |
Full business case approved | July 2020 |
Planning permission to be granted | November 2020 |
Main contractor to be selected and awarded | January 2021 |
Construction begins | November/December 2020 |
University opens doors to first students | September 2022 |
Over the longer term, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority will continue the development of the university in Peterborough. This will happen in three phases over the next ten years.