Gloucester City Council cyber attack disrupts university consultation

A cyber attack linked to Russian hackers has disrupted a consultation for plans to convert a former Debenhams store into a university campus.

Gloucester City Council's IT services were breached on 20 December, with many services, including planning, affected.

Residents who commented on the University of Gloucestershire's plans to convert the former store are now being asked to resubmit their feedback.

The first phase of the city campus is planned to open in September 2023.

The cyber attack has led to an extension of the consultation period but it is not set to change the planning timescales, with developers hoping to secure planning permission in the spring.

It could take the council months to fix affected servers, with systems needing to be rebuilt after software known as sleeper malware made its way into the council's system.

If approved, the plans will see the former Debenhams building on Kings Square in Gloucester transformed into a modern campus, which the university says will play a vital role in the regeneration of the city centre.

The building would include a library, student help zones and a dedicated faith space, alongside a lecture theatre that will also act as a conference and exhibition space, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

"We're pleased that the planning consultation has been extended to enable more people to share their views," said university vice-chancellor Stephen Marston.

"We're looking forward to unveiling new visuals, as well as hoardings on site, in the coming months, which will bring our plans to life for residents and visitors."

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