MAJOR plans to transform a Wrexham university as part of a £60 million revamp have taken a step forward.

Glyndwr University has formally entered a number of planning applications as part of its Campus 2025 project to significantly improve all of its sites.

It includes proposals to demolish a number of buildings at its main base on Mold Road in the town, including the existing students' union building and the halls of residence.

They are set to be replaced by a new learning gateway and several state-of-the-art facilities, including 410 apartments and an engineering building, while the current sports hall will be extended and a multi-use games area will also be redeveloped.

Meanwhile, the arts school on Regent Street will be refurbished and several associated buildings will be demolished to make way for a 107 bed student accommodation block.

The university said significant modernisation and refurbishment was required in order to bring teaching and learning standards up to scratch, and to improve the experience of students.

Vice chancellor Professor Maria Hinfelaar said: “We are enhancing the student experience by placing students at the centre of our Campus 2025 strategy.

"Our plans have been broadly welcomed, because of the significant investment in university facilities which will clearly benefit our students, many of whom are local, and also raise the profile of Wrexham.

"The main campus at Plas Coch is on a gateway into the town, and our Regent Street campus is a heritage building which is houses many of our Creative Arts courses.

"The new planned infrastructure will support learning with stimulating state-of-the-art facilities and the latest in building designs and technology, to provide a sustainable and attractive future-proof campus.”

"She added that the proposed student village would provide modern student accommodation and support retail, leisure and other town centre businesses.

To help finance the ambitious plans, which were unveiled in June, the institution is hoping to sell off land it owns around the town, which could then be used to build housing.

However, proposals to build around 70 houses on brownfield land at Dean Road, Rhosnesni have been met with public opposition, as well as plans to create 116 new homes on land off Gatewen Road in New Broughton.

A consultation for the new campus proposals closed last month and received more than 200 comments from members of the public In light of feedback about the Dean Road site, the university said it was looking to gift a section of the land to the community so that public open space and a playing pitch can be retained.