The University of Sussex has applied to Brighton & Hove City Council for planning permission to keep the temporary Friston building on campus for a further five years.

In the decade since its construction, the Friston building has been a successful decant building, providing essential facilities for staff and students while existing buildings were refurbished or demolished and replaced. 

The building, which has an entrance facing south onto the Science car park, is currently occupied by the University’s International Study Centre.

Temporary planning permission was first granted for the Friston building in 2009, with subsequent extensions in 2012 and 2014.

Robert Hutton, Director of Estates, says: “Our Estates strategy recognises the long-term need to provide a permanent academic building to house the International Study Centre.

“Without such a building currently in place, and recognising that it would take a number of years to deliver a new building, we believe it is more appropriate at this point in time to maintain the Friston building for a further five years.”

A decision from BHCC is expected later this summer.