Starting this spring, Solent will be implementing the next stage of our campus development plans - the relocation of the Warsash Maritime School (WMS) maritime cadet, senior engineers and small vessel engineering provision from our St Mary’s campus on the City College Southampton site to East Park Terrace (EPT). It is a move we are excited to announce and one that will significantly enhance the experience of everyone who currently studies and works at our St Mary’s campus.
The relocation will:
- Further enhance our cadets’ and marine engineering students’ experience by consolidating these aspects of our training and facilities on a single city centre campus, alongside the Maritime Simulation Centre, the Towing Tank and Stability Tank, and our two maritime research centres - the Centre for Marine Sustainability, and the Warsash Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) Research Centre.
- Improve access for our WMS staff and students to EPT’s catering outlets, the library, the Solent Sports Complex and Solent Students’ Union - an integral part of the University community.
- Provide greater opportunities to all staff and students for interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional and social engagement.
This move has been made in consultation with the Students’ Union and with overwhelming support from the affected students. The relocation is also in line with our Estates Strategy’s direction to rebalance the physical estate, in turn providing an annual rental cost saving for the University. The alignment also supports the introduction of the South Coast Institute of Technology (IoT), due for completion by the end of 2024.
The School’s Ship Handling Centre and safety training facilities will remain at their respective Timsbury and Warsash sites.
The move will be phased in line with the refurbishment of the Christopher Cockerell (CC) building, which will become home to new engineering workshops as part of the IoT.
- Phase one will focus on moving classroom provision currently based on floors one and two of St Mary’s campus to EPT by Friday 31 May.
- Phase two will focus on moving marine engineering workshop equipment currently located on the ground floor of the building and will commence later in the summer once the CC building works are complete.
We are excited about this development and have already shared the news with all staff and students directly affected, have involved key colleagues in the planning process and will be supporting the WMS community throughout the move.
Project plans and progress
Project updates will be added here in the coming weeks so please check back regularly to stay up to date.
