ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿

 News 

ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ Invests in New Science Laboratories at Newton Park

Monday, 19 October, 2026

ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ has completed a major redevelopment of its science laboratory facilities at the Newton Park campus, providing modern, purpose-built spaces to support the growing demand for practical teaching and research across its undergraduate science programmes. 

The project, delivered over 18 months, has transformed the ground floor of the Stanton Building, creating additional laboratory capacity and enhancing the facilities available to students and academic staff. 

The redevelopment involved the removal of internal walls and the reconfiguration of former cupboards, shower rooms, offices and seminar rooms to create a more efficient use of space. The result is a new suite of specialist facilities comprising: 

• Two new 32-seat teaching laboratories, providing additional capacity for practical classes. 

• A dedicated analytical instrument laboratory, supporting student and staff research projects. 

• A central preparation room, designed to support the delivery of practical teaching. 

The investment comes at a time of sustained growth within Biological Sciences at BSU. Five years ago, approximately 70–80 students joined these programmes each September. By the 2026–27 academic year, this figure had risen to more than 130 new Level 4 students. 

Designed to meet the needs of contemporary science education, the new teaching laboratories feature gas supplies, fume hoods and air conditioning. These facilities provide students with opportunities to develop practical laboratory techniques in environments that better reflect the equipment, working practices and professional standards they may encounter in graduate employment. 

The redevelopment also places an emphasis on accessibility. By replacing outdated facilities that offered limited provision and lacked level access, the project creates more accessible spaces for students to participate in practical teaching. 

Beyond undergraduate teaching, the dedicated analytical laboratory will support a wider range of student and staff research projects. It also provides a foundation for exploring potential future postgraduate course development, strengthening the University's capacity to expand its science provision. 

Dr Samantha Lane, Academic Leader for Sciences Marketing and Student Recruitment, welcomed the completion of the project: 

“We are delighted to see the completion of this phase of laboratory development at Newton Park. It has been an 18-month-long project, with a lot of planning work to ensure that we are able to provide the facilities required to deliver the wider range of undergraduate programmes we now offer. 

“The new suite of lab spaces better supports student practical skills development, as well as facilitating accessibility, by replacing outdated spaces with limited facilities and which lacked level access. 

“The labs were ready to receive students for practical classes in the first teaching week of the new academic year, and I would like to thank the Developers, the Estates team and the Sciences technical team, who have worked incredibly hard over the last few months to get everything in place, ready for an exciting new academic year.” 

The completion of the Stanton Building redevelopment marks an important step in the continued development of science facilities at Newton Park. By increasing capacity, improving accessibility and creating dedicated space for analytical work and research, ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ is investing in the practical learning experiences that underpin its growing portfolio of undergraduate science programmes.