'Life-changing' campus for Barrow approved

A university campus in a Cumbrian town is a "significant move" with the potential to change lives, council leaders said.

Cumbria University said the Barrow Learning Quarter will "transform access to further and higher education".

Work on the site next to the BAE Systems Submarine Academy on Barrow Island will start this year.

It will run courses in manufacturing, computing, cyber security and logistics.

Described by the university as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to address the skills needed in the region, it is hoped the new Barrow campus will be completed by autumn 2024.

University vice chancellor Professor Julie Mennell said getting full planning permission would help its partners including BAE Systems, Barrow Borough Council and Furness College realise the "shared ambition of enhancing education opportunities across the area".

"A new university campus and the wider Barrow Learning Quarter will contribute to future growth and prosperity, driving our mission to transform lives and livelihoods in our communities," she said.

"The campus will have innovative, inclusive facilities and provision, offering progression routes and pathways for young people and those who want to follow their passion and make a difference to others."

Barrow Borough Council described "becoming a university town" as very significant with the "potential to change lives".

A spokesperson said: "It will offer people the chance to go into higher education and study for a degree right here - something they may not have considered before - as well as attracting new people into the area."

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