The COUNCIL beg leave to report to the University as follows:
1. A First-stage Report on the construction of a new building for the Institute for Manufacturing was submitted to the Regent House on 4 May 2006 (Reporter, 2005-06, p. 557) and approved by Grace 5 of 5 July 2006. This Second-stage Report is to update the Regent House on further development of the scheme and to seek approval for construction to proceed.
2. As stated in the First-stage Report the proposed new building for the Institute for Manufacturing, located at the West Cambridge site south of Charles Babbage Road and west of the south Residences, is in line with the University's 2003 Estate Plan to develop the West Cambridge site for physical sciences and technology departments. The relocation of the Institute will release space on the Old Press Site in Mill Lane in accordance with the Estates strategy.
3. The new building, which will have a gross internal area of 4,400 sq.m., will accommodate industry standard laboratories, project facilities, seminar suites, research centres, embedded offices, and an industry links unit, with teaching space for senior undergraduates and postgraduate students. The building has been designed to allow for phased development as funding becomes available. Phase 1, which does not include fitting out the laboratory areas, as estimated, will cost £11.6m.
4. In accordance with the Capital Projects Process, a Full Case was prepared by the Institute and subsequently approved by the Planning and Resources Committee at their meeting of 18 October 2006 subject to the confirmation of the necessary funding. It is estimated that the running costs of the new building will be £99 a square metre, based on the attribution of indirect costs, which cover such items as utilities and maintenance. These costs will be met from research grant income associated with the programmes at the Institute.
5. Funding has now been confirmed comprising £5m from HEFCE SRIF-3, £5m from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, and £0.4m available to the Institute of Manufacturing from donations. The remaining £1.2m is being underwritten by the Department of Engineering pending successful fund-raising. Phase 2 of the project, which will comprise fitting out the laboratories, will be undertaken as soon as additional funds are available.
6. A detailed planning application will be submitted in July 2007. The planning application is not considered controversial and planning permission is expected in October 2007. Subject to receiving planning permission and tenders being within budget, work is programmed to start on site in January 2008 and to be completed in March 2009.
7. Drawings of the proposed scheme are displayed for the information of the University in the Old Schools Arcade.
8. The Council recommends:
I. That approval is confirmed for the construction of a new building at West Cambridge for the Institute for Manufacturing as proposed in this Report.
II. That the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) be authorized to accept a tender, within the available funding, for the Phase One building and all associated works in due course.
| 23 July 2007 | ALISON RICHARD, Vice-Chancellor | S. J. COWLEY | VERONICA SUTHERLAND |
| ROSS ANDERSON | S. ENSOR-ROSE | LIBA TAUB | |
| Z. BARANSKI | D. W. B. MACDONALD | JOAN M. WHITEHEAD | |
| NIGEL BROWN | G. A. REID | RICHARD WILSON | |
| WILLIAM BROWN | DAVID SIMON | S. J. YOUNG | |
| J. COMERFORD |