University College Birmingham is planning a new campus on a four acre site at the edge of the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham.

Councillor Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham City Council, announced the plans at the MIPIM conference in Cannes.

He said: “The plans will be presented to the college board later this month and such is the interest in what we are doing in Birmingham that over 190 firms of architects in the UK, Europe and the US have already registered an interest in working with us.”

The principal of University College, Professor Ray Linforth said the intention was to develop a new campus on land bounded by George Street, Holland Street and Charlotte Street. The college owns two acres and has agreed to buy an adjoining site.

The plan is to develop the campus in three stages, beginning with an 80,000 sq ft 24-hour-a-day student hub costing £20m funded from college reserves.

Professor Linforth said: “This will be the largest capital project in the Jewellery Quarter in the next few years and will be a significant catalyst in the economic regeneration of the area.”

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