24 Jan 2024

Caddick Grows Education Portfolio with University of Cumbria’s First Barrow-In-Furness Campus

Caddick Construction has been appointed as the main contractor to deliver the University of Cumbria's new Barrow-in-Furness campus, with building work now underway on-site.

Once complete, this state-of-the-art campus will deliver degree programmes in Advanced Manufacturing, Computer Science (including cyber security) and Business Management, to help attract and retain talented graduates with higher-level skills to serve the region’s growing industries.

The campus’ unique design is inspired by the town’s submarine heritage. The dockside development will contain adaptable, specialist and interactive teaching areas across its two floors and social and library spaces.

Features will include new teaching spaces, offices, catering facilities, landscaping, and car parking for staff and students.

In November 2023, HRH The Princess Royal visited the site to ceremonially ‘break the ground’ on the project.

Paul Dodsworth, Managing Director of Caddick Construction Group, comments: “Over the years we’ve built several specialist education facilities, with current projects including Hopwood Hall College and University centre’s new Middleton campus and a new teaching hub for Loretto College in Manchester. We are very proud to have been appointed to the University of Cumbria’s new campus, and to be adding such a flagship project to our portfolio. We are working closely with the university to ensure the new campus becomes a world-leading facility that attracts new talent and serves the industries of the region and beyond.”

University of Cumbria Vice Chancellor, Professor Julie Mennell said: “This milestone takes us another step closer to developing the first university campus in Barrow-in-Furness. We’re delighted to be working with Caddick Construction and existing partners on a project serving our community in an area of such regional, national and international importance.

“Offering innovative, inclusive facilities and provision, this campus will help transform lives and communities for generations to come. The increased reach and accessibility of higher education in, for and from Barrow means that this campus will have a long-lasting impact, offering new opportunities and inspiration to so many who choose to live, visit, work and study in the area and beyond.”

Councillor Jonathan Brook, the Leader of Westmorland and Furness Council and Deputy Chair of the Brilliant Barrow Town Deal Board, said: "This is a very important milestone in the life of not only the Barrow Learning Quarter project but the Brilliant Barrow programme itself.

"Excellent progress has been made towards the development of a university campus for Barrow. It is wonderful to hear that the project has now reached the stage at which the Government funding provided to Brilliant Barrow can be transferred to the University of Cumbria to allow work to begin.”

The Barrow Island campus scheme is being funded by the UK Government, BAE Systems and the University of Cumbria.