The COUNCIL beg leave to report to the University as follows:
1. In this Report the Council are seeking approval in principle for the construction of a new building for a Centre for the Physics of Medicine in the Department of Physics as set out below.
2. It is proposed that a new building, part two- and part three-storey, totalling 5,512 sq.m. gross internal floor area, be constructed to accommodate the Department of Physics's Centre for the Physics of Medicine. The interaction between physics, biology, and medicine are now at a turning point at which multidisciplinary research drawing physics much more deeply into the life sciences is of the highest priority. The new building, comprising research laboratories, teaching rooms, and offices, will combine a wide range of research expertise in physics, soft condensed matter physics, biology, and medicine. The building will be located at the West Cambridge Site, at the southern end of J. J. Thomson Avenue, adjoining the frontage to the existing Cavendish Laboratory buildings.
3. The Department's experimental, computational, and theoretical expertise in fundamental and applied physics will be harnessed alongside teams from other Departments, particularly from the School of Clinical Medicine, the Department of Biochemistry, the Department of Chemistry, and the Department of Chemical Engineering. This initiative continues Cambridge's commitment to innovative collaboration bringing together researchers from different disciplines within the same building and close to several cognate Departments and facilities. The proposed new building will house the activity in this area in one building and release space previously occupied by the Department of Physics on the West Cambridge Site.
4. Consultant Architects, BDP, were appointed to prepare a concept design that enabled applications for SRIF funding and other grants to be submitted. Presentations to the Cambridge City Council Planning Department have been made bearing in mind that the proposed building will have a joint space allocation from the existing outline planning approval under the West Cambridge Master Plan, as well as the existing Cavendish Laboratories site. Subject to the approval in principle of the proposal, detailed Planning Permission will be sought once full funding has been obtained.
5. The cost of the scheme is estimated to be £21.8m including professional and statutory fees and VAT payable. Full external funding is anticipated from two sources, a HEFCE SRIF Round 3 grant of £10m and a further £10m grant from the Wolfson Foundation. Funding for the balance is still to be identified.
6. There is an option to design and construct a larger building of 7,092 sq.m., at an estimated additional cost of £6.9m in order to provide the total research space required. The option to enlarge the building has been included within the concept design and there would be reduced costs, through economies of scale, in building out the larger scheme in a single phase if funding were to be identified.
7. Further details including information about the maintenance and recurrent costs, with proposals for funding, are due to be brought to the Planning and Resources Committee at their meeting on 23 November 2005 and a second-stage Report will be published later in the term. In the meantime the Council are seeking approval in principle for this new facility.
8. The Council recommend:
I. That approval in principle be given for the construction of a new building at West Cambridge for the Department of Physics as proposed in this Report.
II. That the Director of Estate Management be authorized to apply for Detailed Planning Permission in due course.
| 21 November 2005 | ALISON RICHARD, Vice-Chancellor | MIKE CLARK | G. A. REID |
| R. J. ANDERSON | BOB DOWLING | DAVID SIMON | |
| A. J. BADGER | RUTH KEELING | VERONICA SUTHERLAND | |
| Z. BARANSKI | D. LOWTHER | LIBA TAUB | |
| RICHARD BARNES | D. W. B. MACDONALD | BEN WHEELER | |
| NIGEL BROWN | JAMES MATHESON | JOAN M. WHITEHEAD | |
| WILLIAM BROWN | MARTIN REES | RICHARD WILSON |