The University of East Anglia is planning a �12m eco-building to ease the squeeze on student accommodation and celebrate its 50th anniversary.

A new, environmentally-friendly student halls could spring up in 2014 at its campus.

The state-of-the-art building will be part of a �58 million investment by the university as it celebrates 50 years in 2013.

Planners have designed a 231-bed building at the eastern edge of the site, close to other student halls.

An increase in demand for campus accommodation from first-year undergraduates and new postgraduates means that the project will be completed as quickly as possible – with work scheduled to begin in June 2013 and the project completed by September 2014.

UEA vice-chancellor Professor Edward Acton said: 'We pride ourselves on our attractive campus and have led the way in commissioning buildings that are both architecturally significant and environmentally sustainable.

'This new building will be extremely energy efficient – an increasingly important factor for our socially responsible students.'

During the one-year construction, the university said it would work hard to keep disruption to staff, students and the public to a minimum, by creating a new route onto campus for works traffic – but only if permission is given by the highways authority and planning department.

Architects are designing the building to be highly insulated and will monitor its energy consumption.

No planning application has yet been submitted, but a public exhibition on the project will be held from 2pm to 8pm on Tuesday November 27 in the Town Close Room at the UEA Sportspark.

The public consultation runs until 5pm on December 14.

Views on the proposals can be sent to Bidwells (UEA Residences Consultation), 16 Upper King Street, Norwich, NR3 1HA, or email uearesconsultation@bidwells.co.uk

Other projects in the building programme include the renovation of Earlham Hall and refurbishment work on the iconic Ziggurats.