Burnley's first university to boost town by £10.8m a year (From Asian Image)

Burnley's first university to boost town by £10.8m a year

9:30am Saturday 30th May 2009

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By Nafeesa Shan »

BURNLEY’S new university will boost the town’s economy by around £10.8million a year, it has been revealed.

Added to the Clarets promotion and the huge benefits that that will bring council leader Gordon Birtwistle boasted: “We are now a premier league town.”

The opening of the town’s first university coupled with an estimated £200million windfall through the Clarets rise to the Premiership, means there has never been a better time for investment in the town, Mr Birtwistle has said.

Experts believe the university alone will see an extra £10.8million pumped into the local economy as well as attract interst from across the country.

Hundreds of students have already signed up to attend the new Princess Way campus from September, attracted by groundbreaking courses and the very latest facilities.

UCLan chiefs have also been working with Pennine Lancashire to create courses which will feed into the job market that already exist in the town.

Courses such as MSc Road Traffic Collision Investigation and BA(Hons) Social Work (Qualified Worker Status) have been cultivated from local business demand and job shortages in the area.

The director of UCLan Burnley Campus, Martin Brown, said: “Lots of people think students are terrible but ever student spents around £6,000 a year when they are studying at university, and 1,800 will be studying here each year - that’s £10.8million. This money will be invested into the economy in living costs, food and the nightlife for example.

“And this is before students leave and start in jobs.”

Dr Brown said courses had been designed to train youngsters for jobs that would be available in the area to keep them in the county boosting Lancashire’s economy.

“We have been working with Pennine Lancashire to identify the resources that are available in the area and offer courses with that in mind,” he said.

“For example there is an abundance of wind farms in Lancashire and we will be looking at wind turbine technology as part of some of courses.”

A business incubation unit on the top floor has also been set up to act as a hub for up and coming business in the town.

Already the £11million university centre is proving a hit and early indications show it has almost reached its target for September.

The university aims to enrol 600 students a year when the full list of courses is up and running but have set a target of 300 for September’s opening.

Dr Brown also revealed the university is currently in talks for a national conference to be held in the building next year, which would bring in a large number of delegates.

Computer science expert Dr Brown also announced community cohesion champion Lord Kamlesh Patel of Bradford was keen to have an office on the campus.

UCLan campus designers have fitted the building with state-of-the-art technology in a bid to aid students learning.

This includes a three dimensional projector along with innovative technology, which allows seminars and lectures to be recorded.

Dr Brown said: “When the technology is up and running seminars will be recorded and put onto the university site to enable students to carry out distance learning.

“The technologies will be available in every classroom and the lecture theatre once the building works have been completed.”

Dr Brown said once the keys are handed over in July, specialist equipment would be fitted ready for the official opening in September.

Gordon Birtwistle, leader of Burnley Council, said the new university was fantastic for Burnley.

He said: “The new building is amazing and iconic, it is the beginning of a new era for the town. It is an amazing feat that we have achieved it.

“Burnley is known as the poor part of Lancashire and one of the poorer areas in the UK. Over the past 20 years the industry has deciminated in the town and we hoping the university and the regeneration will attract new businesses.

“Now with Burnley FC being promoted to the Premiership as well we hope to get the town in the premier league with investors.”

Mike Damms, chief executive of Chamber of Commerce East Lancashire, said the capital investment in the building showed Burnley was economically active.

He said: “It has breathed life into that part of the town which will revitalise trade.

“It will raise education standards and raise aspirations and ambitions.

“Burnley has an issue as a place with low grade skills but the university will potentially produce quality students, which will attract companies to the area. It is spectacular good news. It is making an economic statement in Burnley.”

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