By Ben Fishwick
The University has revealed its plans for development on the site of Victoria Swimming Baths, opposite Anglesea Building. A new tower structure will provide student accommodation, offices and teaching space.
The new building will go some way towards meeting the need for the University to accommodate all first year students. The building will provide 598 bedrooms, with a combination of studio rooms and shared flats. This will bring the University’s total student accommodation capacity to around 3,600. Many first years currently have to privately rent accommodation which can add to the strains of beginning university life.
Emma Woolard, the UoP Director of Finance, said: “We are working with a development partner to construct and manage much needed student accommodation which could provide around 600 new rooms.”
She added: “Contracts and planning consent are yet to be finalised, however we are working towards the space being available in September 2012. Work with the architects and the design team on the building has been underway for several months.”
The Victoria Swimming Baths were closed last year despite 800 local people signing a petition to keep it open. Previous plans for the site by the local council had included a library and museum.
The new building will increase the already large university presence in Portsmouth.