Press release

Plans unveiled for Scotland's first new University campus

of the 21st Century

Queen Margaret University to provide £32 million boost to East Lothian economy

Plans for Scotland's first purpose built University campus of the 21st century were unveiled today (30th October 2003) at an exhibition at the Brunton Halls in Musselburgh. The masterplan for the new campus to be built on a 35 acre site at Craighall, has been submitted to East Lothian planning authorities for approval. If the application gets the go ahead then Musselburgh will become home to Queen Margaret University (QMUC) when over 4000 staff and students relocate from existing campuses at Corstorphine and Leith in 2007.

According to the Fraser of Allander Institute the economic impact of QMUC is estimated at £32 million to the local community alone, and £90 million to the Scottish Economy as a whole. Employment attributable to QMUC, including direct employment, is around 1200 and there will be around 500 jobs on site during the construction phase.

QMUC's existing premises are near the end of their useful life and require substantial expensive remodelling. The decision to relocate to Musselburgh was announced in November 2002 after QMUC had completed a rigorous evaluation of many possible sites around Edinburgh and the Lothians and as far afield as Fife.

QMUC Principal Professor Anthony Cohen said;

"I hope and expect that we will have a vital role in the local community both through our links with businesses and health care providers, and through the access to employment and education opportunities we will provide. We want to be an essential part of the community, rather than just being situated in it. Craighall is an excellent location for a University campus and our relocation from our existing sites in Corstorphine and Leith will mark the coming of age of a dynamic institution and one which both historically and today occupies a distinctive niche in Scottish higher education. The masterplan presents an accessible, a sympathetic, striking and sustainable development which will enhance the area, provide a stimulating environment and first class resources for students, staff and the community."

The Masterplan envisages a vibrant new 21st century academic village with state of the art buildings placed around a series of high quality landscaped parkland spaces incorporating a new and diverse range of habitats.

The masterplan architects' aim of academic place creation and sustainable development is brought into focus with the design of a major landscaped social space at the hub of the campus. Academic buildings linked by a modern day cloister which includes internet cafes, exhibition space, food court and retail outlet forms one perimeter whilst a 1500 unit residential village with hotel, sports facilities and student union forms the other. QMUC`s new Learning Resource Centre, a symbol of its accessible learning strategy, forms the gateway to the new campus.

Members of the local community will be encouraged to use the facilities on offer at QMUC, including the high tech learning resource centre which will form the entrance to the site. Access to the new campus from the A1 will be along a newly created tree lined avenue.

Commenting on the decision to move to Musselburgh project leader and QMUC Vice Principal Rosalyn Marshall said;

"We made the decision to bring our two campuses together almost five years ago and this location was an attractive proposition partly because of the range of local amenities on offer in Musselburgh and East Edinburgh. We also took into account the close proximity of the new Royal Infirmary at Little France, an important healthcare partner for QMUC. The site at Craighall provides excellent transport links to Edinburgh city centre and around the Lothians and we will adopt a green travel policy to encourage use of public transport instead of private cars. We are taking great care to ensure our plans incorporate the very latest thinking in sustainable development"

Leader of East Lothian Council, Norman Murray, said:

"This is a very exciting development that will bring a big boost to the East Lothian economy and provide top amenities to the local community. The brand new campus will house some of the best academic facilities in the UK and will undoubtedly attract interest and visitors from across Europe and further afield. I am sure this development will act as a catalyst to further economic stimulation in East Lothian."

Susan Deacon MSP said;

"I am delighted that QMUC has chosen to relocate to this area. The new campus will bring real benefits to the local community and to the local economy. Scotland's success in the 21st century will depend greatly on our ability to provide opportunities for lifelong learning to all our people. This exciting new development, which will provide a high quality learning environment, will make a major contribution to that effort."

Student president Doug Watters said;

"Students have been consulted throughout the masterplanning process and we were keen that the new campus should provide a secure and sustainable working, living and learning environment - a place you would actually want to spend time. I believe the plans being put forward for an academic village offering hi tech facilities with easy access to local amenities and the centre of the Capital will be very attractive to students of the future."

The masterplan will remain on display to the public at the Brunton Halls until Friday 7 November 2003.

ENDS

For further information please contact Maggie Wright on 0131 226 3622 or 07801 710360

30 October 2003

Editor's notes

About Queen Margaret University

Queen Margaret University was founded in 1875, as the Edinburgh School of Cookery. The was granted permission to adopt the name Queen Margaret in 1971, under the patronage of HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. Since then, the Edinburgh Schools of Drama, Speech Therapy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Podiatry and Radiography have been incorporated in the . It currently has around 4,000 students and aims to attain full university title before relocating to Craighall.
Currently most of the University 's activities are housed in late 1960s buildings at Corstorphine, while a second campus at Leith houses most of its health care courses. The Gateway Theatre in Leith Walk, previously a television studio, has been home to the Drama Department since 1996. The Gateway Theatre complex will be the only element of the existing estate to be retained.
A conditional deal with Persimmon, the landowner at Craighall, to sell the Corstorphine campus and purchase the site was concluded in October 2002. Essentially this back-to-back deal will pay for the new university campus. Other funds from an extensive development programme are expected to assist with the relocation project. A planning application for the site will be submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council for housing on the site.

Key Facts
QMUC currently has a student population of approximately 3650 full time equivalents and employs 509 staff
QMUC is internationally recognised for its various centres of excellence including the UK Centre for the History of Nursing, a collaborative project with the Royal of Nursing, the Centre for Older Persons Agenda, Centre for Complimentary Medicine, Scottish Centre for Research into Speech Disability, Scottish Centre into Chronic Pain.
QMUC's Drama Department is one of the leading examples in the world that combines the conservatories and university tradition. It is also a leading drama research department in the UK.
QMUC is the only Scottish institution specialising in international health care by proving education and consultancy through a Centre for International Health Studies.
QMUC's English Language Unit provides the most flexible degree courses in the UK by combining English with a range of high demand courses including marketing, information management and tourism studies.
QMUC and the University of Oxford are jointly leading a Psychosocial Working Group with Harvard and Columbia Universities, Medicines Sans Frontieres (MSF) Save the Children, International Rescue Committee and Christian Children's Fund.
To support increasing research activity, QMUC's library now contains an excellent collection of periodicals in both print and electronic form. The new CAIRNS system enables people to access specialist information and librarians can find out where specialist information is held out with the University . QMUC also holds the Scottish Arts Council library collection, a unique research resource.
In the 21st century, QMUC will become known as a university for the people with a distinctive approach and renowned for its partnership, innovative research and the high quality and standards of its teaching.

Economic Benefits of QMUC campus at Musselburgh

The economic impact of QMUC is estimated at £32 million to the immediate neighbourhood and £90 million on the Scottish Economy [based on Fraser of Allander Report 1999].

The employment attributable to QMUC (including direct employment) is nearly 1200.

The spending power of 4000 students and staff will be considerable. It has been estimated that in 1998/9 students alone based at QMUC spent an estimated £10.9 million in the local economy.

Labour payments to QMUC employees in 1997/8 were estimated at £11.1 million based on 408 fte posts. It is anticipated that there will be between 350 and 450 staff at the Craighall campus.

During site works and construction there will be a need for a significant local labour force. The number of job opportunities on-site during the construction of the new campus is estimated at up to 500.

The construction workforce will also have a significant positive local economic impact.

With an increase in staff and students in Musselburgh there will be greater demand for houses which will have a positive impact on the local housing market.

With over 1500 students residing on campus there will increased trade locally in retail outlets, bars, restaurants and with local services such as buses, trains and taxis.

The increased population in Musselburgh will assist in creating additional demand for improved transport facilities as well as retail and leisure facilities which will have a beneficial effect on local amenities.