Plans have been unveiled for a £21 million redevelopment project at the University of Stirling.

As one of the University's largest infrastructure investments since its foundation, the Campus Central scheme aims to transform the student experience and has been designed with input from the Students' Union, staff and local stakeholders.

Features include refurbishing the existing Atrium, creating a three-storey new building as well as a re-landscaped, traffic-free Queen's Court. In addition, a new new entrance and central welcome area will be created for the Andrew Miller Building with retail, catering, events space and student support services facilities. It will also feature expanded and enhanced meeting and social learning and study space at the Atrium.

The Queen's Court ground-floor level will provide the gateway to the Macrobert Arts Centre, student support services, meeting and multi-purpose learning spaces. The upper second-floor will house an interdisciplinary, collaborative research space and the Graduate School.

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Elsewhere, more than 3,000m2 of additional floor space will be created to meet the needs of the growing University community, as well as around 2,500m2 of refurbished Atrium space. The development will also improve connections between the loch-side entrance, residences, teaching zone, Students' Union, Macrobert Arts Centre, Queen's Court and Cottrell Building.

The development is expected to begin in early 2019, and be completed around September 2020.

University of Stirling Students' Union President, Astrid Smallenbroek, said: "The Students' Union is excited by the University's plans to transform the heart of the campus, to further enhance the student experience.

"We are working in partnership with the University on this project and particularly welcome further improvements to the University's student support service facilities, and that Stirling students will benefit from new study and social learning spaces."

The Campus Central project will also include changes to the transport flow in and around the campus, including the introduction of a new and improved transport hub, minor changes to car parking and new bus routes through the campus. These works are expected to begin in mid-May with completion set for September.

On completion of the main Campus Central building works, the Queen's Court will be fully transformed into a pedestrianised zone, with the exception of access for emergency and service vehicles.

Professor Gerry McCormac, University Principal and Vice-Chancellor, said: "The transformation of the centre of our campus is one of the University's key ambitions to support the achievement of our strategic aims in learning, teaching and research.

"It will enable us to significantly enhance the Stirling student experience and to deliver facilities commensurate with our ambitions to be one of the top 25 universities in the UK."

Image: Artist's impression of exterior of Campus Central redevelopment.

(LM/MH)