UCLan intends to open the 11th dedicated UK veterinary school.
Official plans for a new school of veterinary medicine at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) have been submitted to Preston City Council.
If the planning permission is granted, a new 45,000 square feet four-storey building will be constructed at UCLan's Preston Campus on Victoria Street. It will be the first-of-its-kind in Lancashire and the 11th dedicated UK veterinary school.
The project is expected to be completed in September 2024, comprising anatomical skills laboratories and simulated clinical facilities, including a diagnostic suite, teaching rooms, operating theatres, a pharmacy, and office space.
Organisers hope it will serve as a hub for undergraduate and postgraduate staff and students in veterinary medicine, bioveterinary science, veterinary clinical practice, veterinary physiotherapy and rehabilitation, and clinical animal behaviour and training.
Sarah Myers from real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, which is leading the planning application, said: “We are delighted to work alongside UCLan in a bid to secure planning permission to create Lancashire’s first veterinary school. The School will be integral to UCLan’s growth ambitions and demonstrates the University’s pledge to invest in the country’s future veterinary practitioners.”
Dr Heather Bacon OBE, Head of UCLan’s School of Veterinary Medicine, added: "The planning application takes us closer to achieving our ambition to create a technologically advanced veterinary school. The new school will play a major role in developing the veterinary practitioners and leaders of the future and supporting economic growth in the north.
“We’re incredibly excited to open the first Vet School in Lancashire, which will offer students state-of-the-art training facilities, and the highest of education and professional standards.”
The proposed development also includes the renovation of the Greenbank Building on Victoria Street, encompassing a rehabilitation suite, consultation rooms, additional veterinary teaching facilities, and kennels.
Should the plans be approved, construction work will begin in March 2023.