Milestone reached in major LJMU redevelopment

The redevelopment of our Henry Cotton Building – to be renamed Kitty Wilkinson Building – has reached a key milestone with the installation of a major steel beam to support the new-look façade.

The beam has been put in place in the main lobby area of the building, which is being completely transformed and decarbonised to provide outstanding new facilities for students and staff.

To mark the milestone, members of the university’s executive leadership team and project board attended a ceremony to sign the steel before it was lifted into place.

The works are progressing well, with the new roof taking shape, windows being installed and the brand-new Harvard-style lecture theatre erected.

It is fantastic to see the great progress being made with the redevelopment of this key building in our estate. It was a pleasure to sign the steel beam before it was lifted into place to mark another key milestone in the project. 

My thanks to our Estate Development team for their work in driving this project forward and to colleagues from across the university who are playing key roles in the planning and delivery of the redevelopment. The remodelled building will provide modern, flexible facilities to enable us to deliver a truly outstanding student experience at LJMU.

Professor Clare Milsom, LJMU Registrar, Chief Operating Officer and chair of the project board

The redevelopment works are scheduled to be completed by July 2027 when the building will be home to programmes from the Faculty of Health, Innovation, Technology and Science.

LJMU is renaming the building after an icon of the city who is celebrated as ‘the Saint of the Slums’. Kitty Wilkinson – an Irish immigrant to Liverpool in the 18th century – is revered as the founder of the public washhouse and a pioneer in public hygiene.