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1. In June 1996 the Council published a Report, dated 27 May 1996, on proposals for a new building at Sidgwick Avenue to house the Faculty of Divinity (Reporter, 1995-96, p. 819). At that time only £4.5m had been raised towards the total cost of £6.95m (at prices current in the third quarter of 1996), and the Council undertook to report further to the University when more detail was available, including information on running costs.
2. A design for the proposed building has been prepared by Edward Cullinan Architects. The gross floor area of the building is about 2,600 sq.m.; this is slightly larger than the area specified (2,425 sq.m.) in the Council's 1996 Report. In the light of recent developments, including increased needs on the part of the Faculty, the General Board have approved a revised schedule of accommodation for the Faculty of Divinity and have agreed that the whole of the building should be occupied by the Faculty. Planning approval for the building was received in May 1997.
3. A revised estimate of the cost of the building, based on commencement of construction in the third quarter of 1998, is in the range £7.2-£7.36m; an exact figure is difficult to ascertain, in view of conflicting cost and tender forecast indices. This estimate includes VAT, but the Finance Committee are confident that the sum allowed for VAT can largely be saved by adopting measures recently approved by the Committee, following advice from Price Waterhouse, who in turn have obtained legal advice from leading Counsel. It is expected that approximately £750,000 will be saved in this way, reducing the cost to about £6.5m.
4. Excellent progress has been made with fund raising since the publication of the 1996 Report. The total funds available now amount to about £7.1m, and the Council are satisfied that this is sufficient for the scheme to proceed.
5. The running costs of the new building are estimated to be of the order of £144,000 a year. This sum will be offset by the saving on rent and running costs of the Faculty's present accommodation at the Selwyn Divinity School and No. 2 All Saints Passage; these are currently of the order of £142,000 a year, although the present accommodation provides less space.
6. The Council recommend:
| I. | That approval be given for the construction of a new building for the Faculty of Divinity at Sidgwick Avenue, in general accordance with the proposals described in the Council's Report dated 27 May 1996. |
| II. | That the Treasurer be authorized to accept a tender for the works within the funds available, and to make such other contractual arrangements as are considered appropriate to minimize the charge to VAT. |
16 February 1998
| ALEC N. BROERS, Vice-Chancellor | BRIAN F. G. JOHNSON | PENNY PEREIRA |
| T. S. ADKINS | D. E. L. JOHNSTON | SANDRA RABAN |
| MARTIN BOBROW | JOHN A. LEAKE | M. SCHOFIELD |
| TERENCE ENGLISH | ANNE LONSDALE | DAVID M. THOMPSON |
| G. R. EVANS | C. T. MORLEY | DANIEL B. WAGGONER |
| A. L. R. FINDLAY | ONORA O'NEILL | JOAN M. WHITEHEAD |
| DAVID HARRISON |
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