A new university campus for up to 8,000 students is planned in Wiltshire.

The University of Bath has chosen a greenfield site outside Swindon as the new home for its Gateway campus.

The site beat off competition from locations within Swindon and further outside the town because of its scope for expansion.

Bath University has been looking for a new campus for two years as it looks to broaden its curriculum.

We are planning cutting edge activity here Professor Glynis Breakwell

Gateway will be built near Swindon's new Great Western Hospital close to the M4 and next to a proposed Science Park.

Improved transport links to the hospital were a deciding factor in the choice of site.

Vice chancellor Professor Glynis Breakwell said: "We want to build a major campus which will service local, national and overseas students, businesses and communities.

"We are planning cutting edge activity here."

Town presence

The campus is part of a development by a consortium including Persimmon Homes and Redrow.

It complements the university's existing campus for 3,500 local and regional students at Walcot in Swindon.

Professor Breakwell said Bath University was still committed to a presence with Swindon itself.

"We would certainly hope to have a presence in the heart of the town, possibly one of contemporary performing arts," she added.