University of Lincoln student accommodation to reopen next year after fire safety concerns

The Gateway on Ruston Way is expected to reopen next year, more than two years after it closed.

In October 2022, serious fire safety concerns were revealed and around 500 students had to be relocated.

Consultants from Tri Fire Ltd recommended any changes, including improvements to stop fires in stairwells. At the time it was said the work would take “several months” though they had not yet scheduled the work.

The student accommodation is leased by the University of Lincoln, but owned by private landlords, Mapletree. A spokesperson for the company said: “We understand that The Gateway is scheduled to reopen in 2025.”

The university also added that they hoped students would be able to use the building in the near future.

The building originally opened in 2015, and cost £28m. Upon its closure, students who were relocated were offered a £500 one-off payment and were able to leave their rental agreements if they requested. The university promised to “provide full support” to those affected and arranged free removals and help with packing and unpacking once students were moved.

According to Lincolnshire Live, at the time, the university said in an email: “Student safety is our upmost priority and, while other mitigation measures can manage fire safety risks in the interim, having consulted with Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, we have concluded it is in the best interests of our students to vacate the building while we liaise with the building owner to make the necessary improvements.”

The accommodation, a mixture of studio apartments and communal flats, is capable of housing 519 students. Its reopening comes at a time when many people are being priced out of the private rented sector, and the City of Lincoln Council is struggling to keep up with demand for social housing.