Work is continuing on a new four-storey care home scheme in Lancaster to replace university buildings which held a dear place in the hearts of local students.
Contractors have been knocking down old halls of residence on the University of Cumbria site (formerly St Martin's College) as part of a project to create 92 assisted living apartments.
The £23m project, which began in April, is due to complete in May 2025.
Buildings being demolished include Sarah Witham Thompson Hall, Melling Hall, the Old Dining Room, and Black Box Theatre.
The work is being carried out by main contractor Caddick Construction.
The new building, run by Progress Housing Group, will house a mix of one and two-bed apartments for those aged 55 and over, while offering various levels of care.
There will be a games room, roof terrace, hairdressing facility, and car park with electric vehicle charging points.
The project includes the conversion of Barbon Hall and Hornby Hall into 16 one and two-bedroom flats.
Planning permission was granted in April 2021.
The University sold the south east area of the campus to Progress Housing Group, who are a leading supported living provider for people with autism and learning disabilities.
This area of the campus was built in the 1960s as part of the new St Martin’s College which was established in 1964 as a Church of England teacher training college.
The site was the former barracks for the King’s Own Royal Regiment, vacated by the Army in 1959.
The campus was funded by the Church of England, an appeal committee and donations by the city of Lancaster together with donations from wealthy Lancashire residents. William Thompson gave £50,000 and the nine storey halls of residence was named in his honour. His sister Sarah Witham Thompson, gave £15,000 and her name to one of the three smaller blocks.
These images of the old buildings can be found on the University of Cumbria website.
Residence blocks Barbon and Hornby, originally barracks buildings built in 1880, were sold off as part of the plan but these areas are being re-developed rather than demolished. Barbon and Hornby are original barracks buildings.
When complete, there will be access through the development onto the campus from Golgotha Road.
The land has been leased to Progress Housing Group on a 125 year lease, said the University of Cumbria.
The work is part of a University masterplan to revamp the campus.
Kate McLaughlin-Flynn, Director of Finance and Resources at the university, said: “Over the last few years the university has been working to deliver its estates strategy. The objectives of this strategy are to deliver just enough of the right type of space and services, available at the right times, in the right condition, at sustainable financial and environmental cost.
“Good progress has been made and whilst we have invested in new buildings and refurbishing others, the amount of space that we occupy is not proportionate to the size of the university and our future delivery plans; we have too much space. Many of the older buildings are in poor condition, not suitable for modern teaching or empty. This brings high costs to both maintain and run, but also to improve the poorer buildings to a suitable standard.”
The university website says: "These buildings hold nearly six decades of memories for students of the Lancaster campus.
"Many will remember dinners, dances, parties and PE lessons in the Old Dining Hall. Many lessons and meetings with tutors have taken place in the Long Corridor and not to mention the friendships and love stories forged in the halls of residence.
"We appreciate that hearing this news and seeing works on site can be upsetting to those that knew these buildings. Buildings may be demolished but our memories, experiences and friendships will be with us forever. If you wish to share your memories of The Long Corridor, the Old Dining Hall, Hornby, Barbon, the Art Studio, Black Box Theatre, Gressingham, Melling or the Sarah Witham Thompson Hall we would love to hear from you."
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