New doctors being trained in Leicester will learn in the latest state-of-the-art facilities being proposed by the University of Leicester.

The £30 million Medical Teaching Building will house teaching rooms and computer laboratories in one of the most energy efficient buildings of its kind in the UK.

The development will allow the University to continue to enhance its excellent reputation for medical teaching. It will replace teaching undertaken by the University's College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology in the current medical sciences building which was constructed in the mid 70s.

The University of Leicester has entered into an agreement with Regent College in order to develop the site on land currently owned by Regent College at the corner of University Road and Lancaster Road.

Regent College has agreed in principle to the sale of a section of land to the University of Leicester in order to directly fund the development of a high quality college sports hall, changing facilities and new classrooms, as well as to bring into use areas of the college estate that are currently unusable for sport. The plan includes the development of an improved levelled and drained sports pitch. These developments will significantly enhance the range of sports and teaching facilities on offer to young people in Leicester and will enable the college to extend its commitment to sport.

-- Advertisement --

The University of Leicester intends to make a fully detailed planning application to Leicester City Council in May 2011. Subject to approval, the University will agree a purchase of the site from the College with view to developing the site by the 2013/14 academic year.

The proposed project will be funded from a variety of sources including use of loans, reserves and support from the NHS.

The University of Leicester has invested £50 million in the last three years alone in providing a first-class redeveloped Library and Students’ Union. In April it also announced a £12.6 Cardiovascular Research Centre. The University also has plans to invest significantly in the estate in the next five years with an anticipated capital investment programme of over £200m.

Professor Stewart Petersen, Head of Medical and Social Care Education, said: "This fantastic new building will ensure that Leicester medical students learn in the best possible facilities, so they may be very well equipped to face the challenges of medicine in the 21st century."

(CD)