How the multi-million pound revamp of the university's Bognor campus was funded

West Sussex County Council '“ through the West Sussex Economic, Skills and Enterprise Board '“ contributed 50,000, and the university is spending more than 5m over the next three years.

The programme will include a creative and cultural industries facility and new student residences.

The refurbished Dome's business centre will house the School of Enterprise, management and leadership, a cafe, wi-fi facilities, informal and formal meeting spaces and a lecture theatre. It will be open to the public.

Premises for eight new high-value businesses will be created on the campus. There will also be a new learning resource centre and a student support facility.

The university says the new business school will help the Bognor Regis economy by creating jobs on the campus and attracting more students who will spend more money in the town.

This claim is based on research by London South Bank University, which found students spent an average of 8,555 a year in the town where they studied.

Dr Robin Baker, the university's vice-chancellor, said: "We are very grateful for this very generous support from SEEDA which, together with a hugely-significant 6m grant from HEFCE and help from many other local partners, means the university will be able to achieve its ambition to create a 'regeneration campus' at Bognor Regis.

"The campus will become a catalyst for education-led economic and social regeneration on the West Sussex coast.

"It will also make a major contribution to the social and cultural environment of the town itself."

SEEDA spokesman Paul Lovejoy said: "We are delighted to be jointly investing with HEFCE and the University of Chichester in the Bognor Regis campus.

"It will make an important contribution to improving the economic performance of the West Sussex coast.

"It will strengthen links with local businesses, helping them to weather the recession and emerge ready to take advantage of the upturn."

The project has also attracted the support of local businesses such as Butlins and Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce chief executive Tom Purves said: "The university plans for expansion and its deepening offer to business has my full support.

"I have no doubt the 'regeneration campus' will be an engine for wealth creation on the West Sussex coast and will contribute to the knowledge base on which Rolls-Royce depends."

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