Preferred contractor named for UCLan EIC

Manchester-based BAM Construction has been appointed to build the state-of-the-art facility, with construction expected to begin in January 2017 and completed for summer 2018.

Located in the heart of Preston city centre, the EIC will be an integrated hub for teaching, research and knowledge exchange, bringing together the region’s expertise from within academia and industry.

Michael Ahern, Chief Operating Officer at UCLan, said: ‘The selection of BAM Construction is excellent news and takes us even closer to realising our vision for the EIC. BAM has extensive experience in the education sector and recent key projects include the University of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute, University College London Academy, and University of Arts London’s St Martin’s Campus. It’s great to be working with another North West company and BAM is committed to creating opportunities for work experience so the partnership will help the local economy even before the EIC is complete.’

BAM’s Pre-construction Director, Adrian Blackie, said: ‘We are delighted to have been appointed as UCLan’s preferred contractor to deliver such an exciting project for the University and for Preston. We will bring our national and international expertise to make the project a success, but as a regional team of people from all across the North West we are also passionate about making a difference by creating many employment, training, educational and social opportunities for UCLan students, staff and the wider local community.’

The EIC, which is the first major milestone in UCLan’s £200 million Campus Masterplan, has been identified as a signature project within Lancashire’s Strategic Economic Plan and has secured £10.5 million via the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership's (LEP) Lancashire ‘Growth Deal’ with Government.

It received a further £5 million cash injection from HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England) which will go towards equipping the facility to the highest standard with advanced technology and specialist equipment. An application for European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding has also been made to further enhance engagement between the University and local engineering companies.

The EIC will deliver a range of key objectives including reclaiming Lancashire’s role as a national centre for advanced manufacturing, ensuring that local skills reflect social and economic needs, and increasing the number of females in engineering careers.

Notes to Editor:

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston was founded in 1828 as the Institution for the Diffusion of Knowledge. Since those early days it has grown into one of the UK’s largest universities with a staff and student community approaching 38,000 and an employment-focused course portfolio containing over 350 undergraduate programmes and nearly 250 postgraduate courses. The University has an established research reputation with world-leading or internationally excellent work taking place within the areas of Business, Health, Humanities and Science.

As a truly global institution with an established campus in Cyprus, UCLan’s student body includes 120 nationalities and its partnership network extends to 125 countries. In 2013 the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings awarded UCLan the full five stars for its global outlook in all aspects of international educational provision. In 2015 the Centre for World University Rankings placed UCLan in the top 3.8 percent of all worldwide universities.

The University has a strong focus on continually improving the student experience and recently unveiled a 10-year, £200 million plan to redevelop its Preston Campus to create an attractive and inviting, world-class campus helping to create jobs, kick-start regeneration and attract inward investment into the City.

University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) website: https://www.uclan.ac.uk/

BAM Construction’s other projects in the North West include the recently completed 1 Angel Square for the Co-operative Group and the City Football Academy for MCFC. Current projects include No 1 Spinningfields in Manchester for Allied London, the Materials Innovation Factory for the University of Liverpool and Crewe Engineering and Design UTC.