BRADFORD University’s School of Management is being relocated to the city centre campus in a move that could see the current site being redeveloped for housing.

The University has confirmed that work is taking place to prepare for the move, which will be completed in readiness for teaching to begin from the new location from September 2019.

It will see the whole of the Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences united in one central campus and follows the successful move of the School of Law last year.

A new use will be found for the buildings that make up the current home for the School, the Emm Lane Campus, which includes the listed Emm Lane Building, as well as the Sir Titus Salt Building, Cartwright Building and others.

The University has confirmed that options are currently being explored for this site, although a recent planning application for one building, suggests the whole site could be given over to a “mixture of residential uses”.

The change of use application to Bradford Council is for Waterhead, a former house on the edge of the site, which the University wants to return to residential use.

A successful bid would allow for Waterhead to be sold off independently of the remaining campus.

In documents compiled by Farrell and Clark Architects as part of the application, it states: “A pre-application was made in June 2018 to explore options for the re-use of the entire site for a mixture of residential uses. Within this application it was stated that Waterhead would be returned to residential use.

“The pre-application received general support with no objection to the principle of Waterhead reverting to residential use. This application is to formally implement this intent to allow the sale of Waterhead independently of the remaining campus.”

The documents also add: “With the exception of the listed buildings, the conservation area appraisal suggests that most development on the site makes a neutral or in some cases negative contribution to the area. This provides an opportunity to improve the building quality by removing poor buildings and providing well-designed appropriate high quality replacement buildings.”

A University spokesperson said: “The move will ensure a strong and vibrant future for the School, which has again been recognised among the top business schools in the world.

“In addition to bringing together the Faculty, the relocation will have many clear benefits for staff and students. It will support students’ learning experience through mixing and sharing learning with the wider student community, both from an academic and social perspective; access to accommodation on campus will be closer; it will provide broader access to student services, including the library, counselling and other services; and it will provide easier access to students’ clubs, the Students’ Union and its facilities at Student Central.

“The University fully recognises the strong historical and emotional attachments to the Emm Lane and Heaton Mount sites. In that spirit, the University is currently exploring options for the future use of the Emm Lane and Heaton Mount sites, and any future use will be consistent with the planning status of the properties and grounds and the character of the neighbourhood. The University will ensure that they are maintained in good order and securely operated while alternative uses are explored.”