Ambleside campus work announced - MP hails latest triumph in campaign

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed the news that after a formal contract submission process, contractors have been appointed to build the next phase of work to develop a new campus at Ambleside. This announcement by the university shows that Tim's and community campaign to bring the students back and bring further investment has been won.

In July Tim called the Government's Witty review into Higher Education a 'blueprint for Ambleside Campus and the University of Cumbria'. Tim has called for the university to work with local science and hi-tech businesses to create a 'hub' in South Cumbria. In the universities announcement, it looks like they have listened to his call.

The work on the campus will include:

• Demolition of the 'Airport lounge' an area between Scale How and the lecture theatre
• External repairs to the external envelope at Scale How
• External landscaping
• External lighting and CCTV
• Refurbishment of the Percival Lecture Theatre
• Refurbishment of the Cluster Block teaching and office space
• New laboratories in the Charlotte Mason Building

Tim said: "The news that a contractor has been chosen to conduct the work in Ambleside is great news. The university will see major refurbishment and repairs and see new laboratories built on campus. I hope we can use these labs in order to create a high tech science and technology hub. In South Cumbria we have businesses like Croppers, Gilkes and GlaxoSmithKline and we should be working with them to bring business and education together. This is a massive boost to our local economy - we've fought for many years to make this happen, and we are right to celebrate this important next step forward"