Winchester School of Art (WSA) Development Plans

We are investing in the campus to create an environment that:

Provides students and staff with modern – fit for purpose learning spaces
Enables world-class research to take place
Encourages and promotes access for all users
Provides high quality and attractive buildings that will enhance the appearance of the campus
Improves access and connectivity to and within the campus
Provides attractive landscaped spaces

University of Southampton and Winchester's community

You may not be aware, but the University of Southampton is already active within the community in Winchester:

The Winchester Gallery hosts 6-8 public shows per year
Winchester Hat Fair – We have supported the Winchester Har Fair with space and technical resources.
Winchester Fashion Week – WSA collaborates with the Winchester Bid on Winchester Fashion Week

Alongside the above events we also:

run art and design Saturday club for 13-16 year olds as part of the national Saturday club programme
run our own after-school art club for local young people
collaborate on the delivery of Winchester Green Week
provide student design teams to work with local retailers to design store front windows and other points of display

As long as we are in the city, we’ll look to continue our great relationship with local people and organisations.

The main campus at Park Avenue is located to the east of Winchester City Centre, approximately a 10-minute walk from Winchester Station.

Capital House

The University is currently bringing forward the refurbishment of Capital House to provide education facilities in the heart of Winchester. The building will be used primarily for creative technologies, including studios, labs and workspace.

Main Campus

The main campus provides a range of education functions related to art, design and textiles including workshops, studios and labs, gallery, student union, library and food and drink facilities.

Existing campus

The Campus is formed of two parts which sit either side of Park Avenue. The West Side building currently accommodates studios and gallery functions. To the east there are three principal buildings – the East Site Building which includes the canteen, a central Administration Building, and the South Building.

The site includes former residential properties at 37-41 Handy Villas, which are located at the south west corner of the Campus at the junction of North Walls and Park Avenue.

The area at the south-east part of the campus was formerly a Police Station, which has been demolished. The University purchased the police station property with the intention of incorporating and developing it for educational uses. This part of the site is currently hardstanding and accommodates an existing temporary education building.

Site Context

The site has a tributary of the river Itchen on its east boundary, beyond which is Durngate public car park. Residential properties are to the south on the opposite side of North Walls and to the west. Winnall Moors Nature Reserve and River Park Leisure Centre are located to the north of the campus.

There are existing mature trees within and along the boundaries of the site, notably along Park Avenue and the north-eastern edge of the site, within Winnall Moors Nature Reserve

The south western corner of the site, occupied by Handy Villas, is within Winchester City Conservation Area and forms part of the Central Winchester Character Area.

Nos’ 40 and 41 North Walls, forming part of Handy Villas, are Grade II Listed buildings. These are a pair of two-storey semi-detached houses dating from circa 1840.

Located to the south west of the campus is the Church of the Holy Trinity which is a Grade II* Listed building. The War Memorial in the Churchyard is Grade II Listed.

Development Principles

The emerging development proposals will provide new space to meet the school’s growth requirements, alongside reconfiguration and improvements to existing buildings.

We are in the early phases of the design, and options are being reviewed for site-wide improvements at the Campus to enhance the education facilities and open spaces.

Key design principles which will guide the design of new development include:

Improving access to and from the site for pedestrians and vehicles
Achieving greater connectivity throughout the campus
mproved legibility and wayfinding
Creating safe, secure and welcoming new open spaces
High quality hard and soft landscaping, contributing to increased biodiversity

Site Access and Parking

Park Avenue is currently used as the main vehicular access to the school. This provides access to the existing car parking between the Administration and South Side Buildings and the further parking areas to the east of the site and to the rear of the East Side Building.

The access from North Walls was the entrance to the Police Station, which formerly occupied that part of the site. The school currently uses this entrance primarily for service vehicles. The intention is to consolidate vehicular access and egress from the existing entrance on North Wall, removing vehicular access from Park Avenue.

Pedestrian access would be retained and improved from Park Avenue, directly entering a new landscaped courtyard, to provide a welcoming arrival to the school.

The removal of vehicular access from Park Avenue would facilitate an improved pedestrian experience on this key route to the school and to the park beyond. Utilising the existing access from North Walls will provide direct access to the campus car parking.

New Building Proposal

A new education building is proposed within the heart of the campus. This space will be used for teaching and learning and will provide flexibility for future renovations of the current buildings across the site. The building would be flexible and adaptable to meet the school’s future space needs.

Landscape and Biodiversity

The development proposals will include new hard and soft landscaping to create attractive and inviting spaces and to support biodiversity net gain across the campus. There will be a requirement for some limited removal of existing trees. The proposals will include replacement landscaping including trees.

The Longer-Term Future

We are exploring further potential development options to provide additional education accommodation, at the southern parts of the campus.

Next Steps and Feedback

Thank you for engaging with the University of Southampton’s plans for the Winchester School of Art campus.

Following feedback from this exhibition, the design will be developed further. The University intends to consult again when more detailed design proposals are prepared.

We would love to hear your thoughts on our campus and potential future development opportunities. What are the key issues that you think we would need to address?

Please do send any views to EstateDevelopment@soton.ac.uk. We would welcome feedback and comments by 31 July 2025.