The Stafford Centre of Excellence for Healthcare Education gathers pace today, with the announcement that building firm Pave Aways has been appointed to construct the new facilities that will train the healthcare professionals of the future. The facility is part of £23.7m investment made available under the Government’s Getting Building Fund to the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SSLEP).
The programme, which is one of 11 shovel ready projects in the region, has been awarded £2.89m through the Getting Build Fund, which the University has match funded.
Andrew Proctor, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Digital) at Staffordshire University, said:
“The facilities will help fuel the local economy and transform the health workforce by encouraging and supporting health technology start-ups, creating jobs, and promoting economic growth in the region. Alongside this, students and partners will benefit from leading healthcare education through our new clinical simulation and immersion suites. We look forward to seeing our campus and wider communities transformed through this exciting development.”
The contract will provide a valuable economic boost to Stafford and the surrounding area as Pave Aways will be employing locally-based site staff and businesses in their supply chain.
Our design significantly extends the existing campus facilities to provide new spaces for learning, socialising, and events. A light-filled atrium space will become a new social heart for the campus, surrounded by modern teaching spaces equipped with state-of-the-art training facilities that will deliver a curriculum fit for 2020 and beyond. A key component of the project has been to develop an engaging and iconic façade – an expansive glazed area provides a large picture window to contrast the Siberian larch timber cladding with feature projecting fins that are arranged to express the Staffordshire Knot that appears in the University’s logo.
Associated Architects Director James Hall said
“It is excellent to see this project moving forward. The building will provide an incredibly useful space for the institution, meeting their growing needs and ensuring that they deliver the very best specialist healthcare teaching and keeping them among the best in the sector. The new social space, refurbished library, and extended café will also ensure students and staff have an excellent experience outside of the classroom.”
