University of Gloucestershire Campus

University of Gloucestershire acquired Gloucester's former Debenhams building with a clear ambition: to reimagine a well-known retail space as a modern city centre campus.

The £70 million redevelopment has created a flagship learning environment unlike anything else across the University's campuses.

Managing a complex city centre transformation

Alongside teaching spaces for departments including Education, Art and Humanities, the building now houses the Gloucester County Council’s city centre library.

We provided project management, employer’s agent and geospatial services throughout the redevelopment, guiding a complex refurbishment project with ambitious goals and a demanding brief.

Working within a historic building in a constrained city centre location brought a unique set of challenges. Tight timescales, fixed budgets and the realities of adapting an existing building required close coordination and careful decision-making throughout the project.

The scale and complexity of the former Debenhams building added another layer of complexity, with five floors and limited access creating a demanding environment for survey and design teams.

Creating certainty through collaboration

Given limited funding and ambitious delivery targets, cost certainty and commercial risk management remained key priorities throughout the project.

We supported the University through enabling works, site investigations and a two-stage design and build procurement process, managing project risks while providing advice at every stage. Early contractor involvement informed decision-making and supported the client’s wider objectives.

Survey information gathered during RIBA Stages 2 and 3 played an important role in shaping design development. Using laser scanning technology, our geospatial team captured detailed survey data to create an as-existing 3D model of the building, giving project teams a dependable picture of the existing structure as design progressed.

Supporting Gloucester’s wider regeneration ambitions

The redevelopment is part of Gloucester City Council’s £200 million regeneration programme, playing a key role in the area’s ongoing transformation. By bringing education, community and public facilities together, it supports the University’s long-term ambitions while contributing to economic and cultural growth.

Officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal, the completed city campus has transformed one of Gloucester's best-known buildings into a vibrant place to learn, connect and engage with the wider community.