The Copperas Hill site was acquired by the University in 2011 for £2.6m. The 1970s building, considered an eyesore by many, is expected to be demolished and replaced.
In 2013, the University announced plans to redevelop the site as part of a vision to develop a connected campus by locating all students and staff in the city centre. Copperas Hill will be the gateway to the Knowledge Quarter of the city. A team of consultants has now been commissioned to help realise the ambitions for the site.
Project manager is Christal Management; architect is BDP, with lead architect Sue Emms; cost consultant is Sweett; civil & structural engineer is Curtins; and building services engineer is Arup.
The Liverpool John Moores University estate management team is Mark Askem and Richard Pinnington.
Vice chancellor Nigel Weatherill, who led the tender process, said: “This is an extremely important milestone in our journey towards creating our ambitions for the connected university village. The Copperas Hill site is the catalyst that will help us to transform the spaces we occupy across the city and I am delighted that we have a professional design team who are not only exceptional in their ability but who each share our vision for creating a city campus that will become an exemplar on a world–wide scale.”
The university is now consulting with stakeholders ahead of a detailed feasibility study of the various options for the site.
The University plans to submit a full planning application for the scheme in the summer of 2015 with a view to starting work onsite early in 2016. Parts of the building should to be operational for the 2017/18 academic year and the full site operational in 2018.
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