Leeds University (Leeds University) is to create a £96 million Centre for Engineering and Physical Sciences. This is the largest single-project investment ever to have been made on campus; it was approved by the council and the university’s governing body earlier this month.

It is proposed that the new 169,000ft2 centre will bring together schools in the Faculty of Engineering with those in Physical Sciences; this will involve relocating the Schools of Computing and Physics and Astronomy. Areas of research include energy-efficient computing, telecommunications, sustainable magnetic materials, sensors for use in biological systems and extreme or remote environments, and medical technologies.

A university spokesman said: “The new centre will include first-class laboratory and teaching spaces, enabling cutting-edge research and an outstanding student experience, while enhancing our research power and strengthening our collaboration with industry. It is also great news for the region, with the investment further strengthening the university’s ability to attract major research funding — with a consequential impact on the Leeds City Region economy.”

Professor Lisa Roberts, deputy vice-chancellor for research and innovation, said: “The university already has a strong, global reputation for its pioneering science and engineering research, but some disciplines that should be working together are currently spread across campus.” It is hoped that work on the new
centre can start in early 2017, with full project completion scheduled for 2020.