Impression of new Pavilion Library space

Impression of new North Court looking north

The University’s governing body, Council, has approved plans for new student housing and facilities on campus. 

The decision gives the go-ahead for a new development that will double the amount of student housing on the West Slope of the campus. 

The range of facilities and mixed-use spaces located in the development will include:

• a new health and wellbeing centre
• a new, larger supermarket
• a new café
• additional study space in a new library
• an open area of flexible green space

Chief Operating Officer Tim Westlake said: “This will be a transformative development for the University.

“We’re committed to providing high-quality, modern homes for our students, and we asked them about their needs as part of the design process. Redeveloping West Slope will mean an extra 1,000 rooms on campus and some much-needed facilities for the Sussex community.

“We’re working towards becoming one of the most sustainable universities in the world, and open, green spaces are at the heart of our plans. This development will complement our South Downs setting and increase the number of trees on campus.”

Brighton & Hove City Council unanimously approved the development in May 2020.

Due to the size and sensitivity of the site, the University’s Council instigated a Design Review Panel of experts, including a landscape architect, who closely reviewed the developing scheme before approving it.

How it will work

As with the recent construction of the East Slope residences, the University will again work in partnership with Balfour Beatty, who will raise the finance to build and operate the project.

The area for redevelopment includes Park Village and some of the Park Houses (Kulukundis House, Lancaster House, Kent House and York House).

The new buildings and spaces have been designed so that they respect and enhance the vision of the campus’ founding architect, Sir Basil Spence. Environmental sustainability will be a key feature of the construction and the project will re-establish a ‘green spine’ through campus. 

Next steps

Later this month, we will begin work to remove a number of trees from the West Slope development area and we will plant five new trees for every two removed. We will retain the best-quality trees and work in partnership with our ecology and conservation academics to select appropriate species for the new trees. Refectory Road (starting at Kent House) will need to be closed while these works take place.

This partnership approach will help support our commitment to achieve an overall net gain in campus biodiversity. The trees will be turned into wood chippings for use in our grounds, or repurposed in line with our new waste reduction, reuse and recycling policy.  

Enabling works will begin on the site in spring 2022, with new accommodation becoming available in several phases over a four-year period once these works are completed.