Pedestrian bridge installation – Lewes Road 

13 January 2022

The last key part of the university's Big Build will take shape this month, as a new accessible pedestrian bridge is installed across the busy Lewes Road.

The landmark bridge will provide a simple, fast, and safe link between the two sides of the university's Moulsecoomb campus, connect with the Preston Barracks development and provide an impressive new gateway to the city.

A lift will provide access to the raised, western end of the bridge deck for those unable to use the stairs.

The bridge will be open for student, colleague, and public use and for dismounted cyclists as well as pedestrians.

The installation process

In the interest of public safety installation works will be undertaken as follows:

• Saturday 22 to Sunday 23 January (daytime working) Lewes Road will remain open throughout with a traffic contraflow in place between Coombe Road and just north of Natal Road.
• 00.00hrs Saturday 29 to 05.00hrs Monday 31 January (continuous working) Lewes Road will be closed between Coombe Road and just north of Natal Road during this period. Diversions will be in place for road traffic via the A27/A23 and there will be changes to some local bus routes.

Pedestrian and cycle access will be maintained throughout with clear signage showing routes through the area.

Our contractors, Beaver Bridges, have planned their activities to minimise noise as much as possible. We have also worked closely with Brighton & Hove City Council on plans to keep traffic moving during these works.

If you have any questions or comments about the works, contact us on bigbuild@brighton.ac.uk or speak to Beaver Bridge's site manager, Shane Garbett, who is based in the site cabins by the university’s Cockcroft Building on Lewes Road.

Diversions

1 October 2021

A soaring quintet of new halls of residence bring designer high-rise style to the Brighton skyline, while providing homes for over 800 students.

The five Mithras Halls towers – named Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency, and ranging from 8-18 storeys – rise from the University of Brighton's redeveloped campus at Moulsecoomb. They are just one element in the university’s ambitious Big Build project which, alongside new teaching facilities and accommodation, is creating a futuristic new neighbourhood for the city, complemented by the adjacent Preston Barracks development.

Lucy Donaldson, a first-year Environmental Sciences BSc(Hons) student, said: “The rooms are modern and spacious with plenty of storage. I really like the minimalist design, which makes it easy to have your own personal touch. And it’s great being able to live and study on campus.”

The university's transformation of the Moulsecoomb cityscape will also bring jobs and broader economic benefits to the area, alongside its array of landmark buildings. The most striking of these is Elm House - a stunning new home for the university's School of Business and Law, whose modern spaces provide an inspiring backdrop for the return of staff and students to campus for the new academic year.

Elm House's triple storey atrium will also provide a spectacular space for public performances and exhibitions, while its spectacular facade is clad with over 50,000 bespoke ceramic tiles inspired by the celebrated 19th century Brighton Mathematical tile. These have been given a 21st century update with three levels of reflectivity - matte, semi gloss and high gloss – to provide a sense of movement in changing light, mimicking the flowing movement of starling murmurations which are regularly seen in the skies above Brighton.

The Big Build development has been designed and constructed to the highest environmental and sustainability standards. This includes new green spaces with over 300 native species trees, plus improved facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. The 800+ rooms in the new Mithras Halls means the university is now able to guarantee accommodation for all first-year students, providing a true campus experience and easing pressure on the local housing rental market.

The university's Vice-Chancellor Debra Humphris said: “The Big Build has transformed our Moulsecoomb campus, providing a bold new gateway to the city. Together, the mix of new academic, residential, retail and leisure facilities provide our students and staff with the best possible university experience.

“We’re proud of the role the University of Brighton plays in the city’s success, and I know the investment we’ve made at Moulsecoomb will have a major impact – not just on our university community but on our neighbours, local businesses and all our partners and stakeholders across Brighton and beyond.”

The inspiring reinvention of the area will continue over autumn with the completion of new Student Union facilities, including a new state-of-the-art gym and distinctive social spaces. For those not using the excellent public transport options or cycling, there will be a new multi-storey car park including 55 electric charging points to further encourage the city's push to zero emissions and greater sustainability.

Next summer, meanwhile, will see the final piece of the Big Build jigsaw slot into place with the completion of a sleek – and fully accessible - modern footbridge spanning Lewes Road, seamlessly knitting both sides of the campus together.

The first of over 800 new, affordable, student bedrooms has now been completed, offering an exciting glimpse of the University of Brighton’s new accommodation to prospective students.

Located at the heart of the campus, the new rooms will range from standard to large or premium options. Each room will sit as part of a self-contained flat, with either six or ten bedrooms alongside a communal kitchen space and dining area.

The rooms are located in the university’s five new halls of residence, which in turn sit on plinths which will house the university’s new Students' Union and fitness facilities, the latter of which will also be open for local community use.

As well as helping to ensure an offer of halls accommodation for all first-year students, the new student bedrooms will help to free up housing for local residents.

All of the new rooms are expected to be completed in time for the arrival of new first year students in September, ahead of the start of the university’s autumn term.

The transformation of the University of Brighton’s largest campus has entered a new phase with the start of work on the site of five new student accommodation blocks that will transform a stretch of the city’s busy Lewes Road.

The five new towers at the Moulsecoomb campus, ranging in height from 8 to 18 floors, will provide over 800 affordable student bedrooms and space at ground level for new Students’ Union and fitness facilities. The visually striking development is being built on the site of the university’s Mithras House car park and is due to be ready for students starting courses from September 2021.

University of Brighton Vice-Chancellor, Professor Debra Humphris said: "This is a huge milestone as work begins on the next stage of the university’s biggest ever capital development programme. The new student accommodation and other facilities that form part of the Big Build will transform our biggest campus. But just as importantly, along with the commercial development of the neighbouring Preston Barracks site they will also transform the whole local area for the benefit of all who live, work and study there."

Development partner Uliving is taking on the financing, development and management of the new student facilities with a 50-year operating term. Its investment partner is John Laing and Aviva Investors’ Lime Property Fund is providing long-term development finance through an income strip deal. The development will be delivered by construction company Bouygues UK, and Bouygues Energies and Services will be in charge of facilities management. Axel Boutrolle, Uliving’s CEO, said: "We are excited to be working with the University of Brighton to bring its ambitions to life. The Moulsecoomb campus will boost the availability of modern, high-quality, purpose built student accommodation in this vibrant city, freeing up homes for local families".

The campus transformation started last September when work got underway on a new multi-storey car park that will replace all existing surface parking at the campus. The new car park is now well underway and will open at the end of May this year.

Land freed up by the multi-storey car park is being used for the new student facilities and a new academic building that will provide a state-of-the-art home for the university's Business School. A new pedestrian bridge across the busy Lewes Road will link both sides of the campus, with improved walking routes through the campus, new green spaces and extensive landscaping.

With no planned increase in student numbers the new student accommodation will reduce pressure on local housing whilst students taking up rooms will not be allowed to bring cars to the campus.

The entire campus development is being built to the highest environmental standards with an emphasis on sustainability and will incorporate over 300 native species trees across the campus.

Work on the three-year transformation of the University of Brighton’s largest campus is now officially underway.

Contractors have started work preparing the site for the construction of a new multi-storey car park that will replace existing surface parking at the campus, freeing up land for the rest of the transformation.

The new multi-storey car park is expected to be completed by May 2019 and will be the first element of a programme that includes a new Business School building, student accommodation and a new pedestrian bridge linking both sides of the campus.

Commenting on the start of work, Sue McHugh, Director of Campus Development said: "The modernisation of our Moulsecoomb campus alongside the development on the adjacent Preston Barracks site will totally transform the area. It will provide a better experience for our students, reduce pressure on local housing and bring additional amenities into the local area.

"We will be working hard to minimise disruption to current students, staff and local residents whilst the works are underway and using the build programme as a 'living classroom' for projects, placements and other learning opportunities."

The transformation programme was named The Big Build by current students at the campus.

The project that will transform the University of Brighton’s Moulsecoomb campus over the next three years has made the shortlist for the prestigious Times Higher Education Leadership & Management Awards (THELMAs).

The project has been shortlisted in the Outstanding Estates Strategy category which showcases major achievements in estates and facilities management across all of the UK’s Higher Education sector.

The Moulsecoomb Campus Development programme, which gets underway this month, will deliver:

• 800 student bedrooms in five new halls of residence
• A new academic building that will house the Business School and provide modern and flexible teaching and social spaces
• New Students' Union and fitness facilities
• A new multi-storey car park
• A new pedestrian bridge linking both sides of the campus across the busy Lewes Road

The campus development is part of a wider £300 million masterplan that also includes the adjacent Preston Barracks site which has been derelict for over forty years. The overall masterplan, conceived through a partnership between developers U+I, Brighton and Hove City Council and the University of Brighton, was recently shortlisted for Planning magazine’s Planning Permission of the Year Award.

Welcoming the shortlisting announcement, Sue McHugh, Director of Campus Development at the University said: “This is fantastic recognition for what has been an outstanding team effort by all concerned. It has taken many years of hard work to get us to this point. Over the next three years the development of our Moulsecoomb campus and adjoining Preston Barracks will transform the local area bringing significant benefits to the City, local community, students and staff. It will help to take pressure off local housing, provide increased opportunities for local companies to work in partnership with the University and improve amenities in the area for the benefit of all."

Times Higher Education editor, John Gill said: “The THELMAs are unique in shining a deserved spotlight on often unsung heroes from across the professional services and administration of our world-leading universities and it’s an honour for Times Higher Education to organise an event celebrating their achievements. This year’s shortlist – once again featuring almost half of all UK institutions – shows that talent and dedication continue to abound, as well as the determination to find creative solutions to problems as and when they occur."