Multi-million pound work at De Montfort University's campus, Leicester

A ground breaking ceremony has taken place at De Montfort University to mark the start of multi-million pound building work to the campus.

Groundbreaking ceremony at Mill Lane, at De Montfort University's campus to mark the start of building work for a huge £136million campus transformation project. Dr Jonathan Choi, chairman of the Sunwah Group and Pro-Vice Chancellor Dominic Shellard broke the ground

The low rise Fletcher block and the university’s former Students’ Union building has been knocked down to make way for striking new buildings to house architecture, design, fashion and textiles, and art courses.

A new addition to the university’s plans will be a Chinese creative and cultural centre - the vast majority of which will be paid for by the Sun Wah Group - a Chinese business conglomerate which already has strong connections to DMU through its business school at Lioning University in China.

Professor Dominic Shellard, vice chancellor of DMU, said: “This is an historical day for De Montfort University. When I became vice chancellor four years ago, it was clear we had to do something dramatic and offer students cutting edge facilities.

“These buildings will replicate the experience of being in Gucci workshops or Prada’s workshops and help students move into the world of work fully prepared for high end equipment because that’s what they’re used to”.

                                                                                                    Professor Shellard compared it to the Kings College, in Cambridge.

Professor Shellard added that a “wonderful green space” was also being created as part of the university’s 

campus plans, which would lead down to the River Soar. He compared it to the likes of Kings College, in Cambridge.

The new creative and cultural centre will provide space for staff and students to study and research. It will house exhibitions on Chinese and British creativity, focusing on fashion, dance, drama, art, graphic design, gaming, and product design among others. Traditional Chinese skills such as Tai-Chi and calligraphy will also be taught.

The designs include atrium spaces with open galleries to maximise views between floors and between departmental areas, display areas to show off students’ three-dimensional work and digital internal and external displays to provide a platform for their work.

Landscaping around the site will create parkland with lawns, formal courtyards and a riverside walk.

The area is being dubbed the “green lung” and will run through the heart of the university’s campus.

Costs of the redevelopment will run to around £136 million, part of which is being paid for using a £90 million public bond financed by four major lenders – M&G Investments, Legal and General, Scottish Widows and Kames Capital.

Other works will take place in due course, including the expansion of the current Students’ Union.

The main part of the project is expected to be completed by 2016.

Sources: Leicester Mercury, BBC News