A UNIVERSITY has unveiled plans that will see it invest £300m in new student buildings and facilities over the next decade.

Teesside University has revealed its new Campus Masterplan, which includes plans for a new student services centre, a revamped business school and transformation of student accommodation in Middlesbrough – as well as plans for a new biomedical research and teaching facility in Darlington.

Details of the plans were revealed yesterday by the university’s vice-chancellor and chief executive Professor Paul Croney.

The £10m Student Life Building will bring all student facing services together in one location, and will include an employability centre and teaching facilities, whilst more than £20m will be spent on creating a new home for the Teesside University Business School.

More than £80m will go on transforming the student accommodation, including new purpose-built accommodation on the Woodlands site, a full refurbishment of King Edward’s Square, and refurbishment and modernisation of Parkside Village.

The new £22.3m National Horizons Centre, a biomedical research, education and teaching facility at the University’s Darlington campus, will support the biologics, industrial biotechnology, subsea engineering and digital industries.

University bosses say the Masterplan has been “costed, phased and planned” and developed following extensive consultation with students and staff.

Mr Croney said: “The vision is to make Teesside a leading university with an international reputation for academic excellence that provides an outstanding student and learning experience. Students are at the heart of everything we do - we already have a great campus but we want to improve it even more.”

Bill Dixon, leader of Darlington Borough Council, stressed the importance of students being able to find jobs once they graduate.

"We don’t want them to go to the Midlands – we want them in the Tees Valley. We need to generate small businesses and anchor them in the Tees Valley.”

Andy McDonald, MP for Middlesbrough, said “It is absolutely brilliant – the plans are bold and ambitious and they take your breath away. Teesside University is a massive drive of economic benefit and employment for the Tees Valley.”