Plans for new accommodation and an innovative £16m Media and IT hub to enhance student facilities at Edge Hill University have been given the green light.

Creative Edge will be an exciting state-of-the-art building housed on the landscaped Eastern Campus, providing high-spec suites of industry-standard facilities for students studying Media, Film, Animation, Advertising and Computing.

The new teaching and learning building is designed to ensure that the University's media production, IT students and local partners have access to equipment on a par with those used by the BBC at Salford Quays.

An additional 144 residential units will also be built as part of this year's plans to continue to reduce pressure on the local housing market.

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Vice-Chancellor John Cater said: "We are delighted that, following a positive recommendation by professional officers, West Lancashire Borough Council have approved the University's plans to construct a further 144 residential units within the campus. These student bedrooms are part of our initiative to further ease pressure on residential accommodation in the town.

"We have a similarly ambitious timescale for the new £16m Creative Edge building, also approved this week, which will bring industry-leading television and media production facilities on to the Ormskirk campus, matching those at Salford Quays and providing professional opportunities for both the University and the locality.

"Despite the ever-changing nature of the higher education sector we're continuing to invest in our award-winning campus to provide high quality facilities for our students so they benefit from the best teaching and learning environment possible."

The new development will provide a place where future employers and students will come to give expert workshops, recruit students for work placements and work with academics on research projects.

(CD/GK)