UCLan's £60m square finally complete

Contractors have handed over a symbolic key to university bosses to mark the end of 100 weeks of major transformation work on the Preston campus.

UCLan says the public square will be a place for students and local communities to come together and enjoy various university and public events.

The square will play host to its first event in September when UCLan welcomes students and their families as they celebrate their graduations.

At night, the area will celebrate Preston’s proud heritage with motion sensitive ‘light threads’, symbolising cotton strands, embedded into the natural stone granite paving, creating a stunning illuminated pathway and guiding visitors from the Square, through the Student Centre and into the main campus.

Meanwhile, the new Student Centre features a rooftop terrace, informal learning spaces and a student wellbeing support centre and should be ready to welcome students from September.

UCLan Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Baldwin said: “This is such a proud moment for the University, for Preston and for everyone connected with this much-anticipated and highly complex project which has been delivered within budget despite unprecedented worldwide circumstances.

“Our new Student Centre represents a superb new ‘front door’ for the University and underlines our commitment to continually enhancing our students’ experience.

“Work is continuing to complete the building’s interior and we are on schedule to officially open the doors for the first time when our students arrive for the start of the new term.”

UCLan Students’ Union President Zuleikha Chikh said: “We can’t wait for it to come to life when students return in September.”