University of Derby – City Campus masterplan

The University of Derby continues to develop its campus and student accommodation and is developing its strategy for a greater presence in the city centre.

A new Business School – the Cavendish Building – will open in 2025 adjacent to the University’s iconic Law School at One Friar Gate Square; the Business School will be home to 6,000 students. The University recently successfully raised £70m in the capital markets to finance construction.

The University intends that the new Business School will be a catalyst for further development of the City Campus. This will include an enterprise and business engagement activity; new and refurbished student accommodation; green space, and additional facilities for students in terms of catering and social learning spaces.

The City Campus will also host the East Midlands Institute of Technology, awarded by the UK Government to a consortium of HE/FE education providers in Derby and Loughborough. The Institute will focus on the creation of a highly advanced workforce focusing on engineering, manufacturing and digital skills.

Why invest in Derby?

For over 300 years, Derby has been home to innovators and thought leaders. We are the UK Capital for Innovation, with global names and their extensive supply chains underpinning our strong economy. Rolls-Royce’s global civil aerospace and defence campuses are here, while Alstom is part of our significant rail cluster – Europe’s largest. SmartParc will create a world-leading sustainable food manufacturing hub, and we are leading the way in future fuel technologies, using our advanced manufacturing expertise to revolutionise the way low-carbon energy is used.

Derby’s location at the heart of the UK has been instrumental to the city’s success. Over 80% of Great Britain can be reached within a four-hour drive, thanks to the region’s excellent connectivity links. Derby’s proximity to East Midlands Airport (the UK’s largest pure freight hub) ensures that goods can easily be moved internationally via air.

Over the past 20 years, over £5bn has been invested into Derby, with a further £2.7bn of known investment in the pipeline, including projects which will revitalise the city centre and support key sectors, including rail (as home to the HQ of Great British Railways and a new Rail Campus Derby) and nuclear (following the £1bn AUKUS and £9bn Unity submarine deals between Rolls-Royce and MOD).

Insight for investors

• Type of investment sought: Purpose-built student accommodation/campus building
• Target investor(s): Investment partners
• Value: £150m GDV
• Timescale: 2025 (Business School); 2025+ (wider City Hub)