The University of Gloucestershire has put its historic Francis Close Hall campus in Cheltenham on the market, as it 'explores options' for the site.
The campus, which features Grade II-listed gothic revival architecture, has a maintenance backlog of around £14 million, with significant investment needed for accessibility and sustainability works.
The university wants to market the campus and 'establish the level and nature of interest' before it makes any decisions on its long-term future.
The university has appointed commercial real estate advisers Avison Young – which is also marketing Cheltenham Municipal Offices on the Promenade – but stresses that the move does not represent a definite decision to lease or sell the campus, and it is not discounting the possibility of retaining a presence there even if a buyer or leaseholder is found.
It says the move is an important step in its work to consider the future of the campus, and its commitment to providing students high-quality education in learning environments that are both sustainable and affordable.
Chief financial officer, Camille Stallard, said: 'Francis Close Hall is a much-loved part of our university, with a long history and strong connections to generations of students and staff, as well as the wider Cheltenham community.
'Putting FCH on the market is an important next step in helping us understand the genuine options for its long-term future, but it is important to be clear that this does not mean the campus has been sold or that we have already decided what will happen to it.
'We are testing the market to understand what interest exists and what ideas may come forward. That will give us much better information on which to base future decisions, while ensuring the needs of our students and staff remain at the heart of our plans.'
The university is reassuring staff and students that there are no immediate changes happening, and that teaching and other activity at Francis Close Hall campus will continue as normal, with most of the programmes based at the campus remaining there until at least 2029 – and if any programmes do need to relocate, they will remain in Cheltenham.
