Stephenson Building enters a new stage in its rich history Published on: 21 April 2021 Planning permission has been granted to transform Â鶹´«Ã½'s Stephenson Building into a School of Engineering hub for research, learning and engagement. Following Â鶹´«Ã½ City Council approval, the Stephenson Building, which was opened by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1951 and is named after engineering pioneer George Stephenson, will be partially demolished, extended and refurbished to provide facilities for engineering research and teaching. Acting as a focal point for all elements of the University’s Engineering School, the £68.75m, four-storey building will house innovative teaching and social spaces, workshops, laboratories, offices, computer clusters and maker spaces. Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor and President, Â鶹´«Ã½, said: “This approval has been the culmination of work carried out by many academic and professional services colleagues across the whole University. “The new Stephenson Building is part of Â鶹´«Ã½’s investment in quality facilities that deliver an outstanding student experience and an excellent environment for our students’ learning, teaching and research. The project also embodies our commitment to sustainability and enables new, exciting and diverse sustainability-driven curriculum within engineering and with other disciplines.”​ An artist's impression of the proposed Stephenson Building Fresh focus on engineering Professor Ian Postlethwaite, Head of Engineering, Â鶹´«Ã½, added: “The Stephenson Building will create a fresh focus on engineering as well as reaching other disciplines through the co-creation of taught programmes and research collaborations. The redevelopment will help generate partnerships with industry and support us in addressing the Industrial Strategy Grand Challenges, the climate emergency and critical skills shortages. “The eye-catching building will make a statement about Engineering at Â鶹´«Ã½, representing substantial world-leading research, innovation and cutting-edge teaching, whilst at the same time encouraging people from a wide range of backgrounds to walk through its front door. It will create an atmosphere which is open, inclusive, creative and entrepreneurial, while allowing group identity to develop. It will be buzzing, lively and productive, whilst also offering contemplative spaces and a safe working environment.” Subject to legal agreement, work is proposed to start on the redevelopment in May. Â鶹´«Ã½’s School of Engineering is home to 16 research groups that span the major disciplines of Chemical Engineering, Civil and Geospatial Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Marine Technology. Find out more about studying in the School of Engineering at Â鶹´«Ã½: /study/ Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at Â鶹´«Ã½ warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from Â鶹´«Ã½ to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
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