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Report of the Council on the construction of a building for the Unilever Centre for Molecular Sciences Informatics

1. In their Report, dated 22 April 1998, proposing the establishment of a Unilever Professorship of Molecular Sciences Informatics (Reporter, p. 579), the General Board referred to a proposal for the construction of purpose-built accommodation for the new teaching and research sector of the Department of Chemistry, to be known as the Unilever Centre for Molecular Sciences Informatics, with which the Professorship is to be associated. The cost of constructing this building, which is likely to be of the order of £6m, will be met by Unilever plc from the total sum of £13m allocated by the company to the project.

2. It is proposed that the building should be erected on University land at Union Road, adjacent to the Department of Chemistry, as shown in the accompanying plan. The Finance Committee of the Council have considered the proposal; they have concluded that it is in the interests of the University and that it is consistent with the University's estates strategy. The site will be leased to Unilever, who will be responsible for constructing the building and will grant the Department of Chemistry a licence to occupy it. The lease to Unilever will be for fifteen years, with break clauses at five-year intervals. During the period of the lease Unilever will own the building, and will meet all the associated running costs; the reversionary interest will remain with the University. These arrangements are analogous to those adopted in the case of the building constructed for the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre (see Reporter, 1987-88, p. 739).

3. A Development Steering Group will be appointed to oversee the construction of the building; this will include representatives of the University and of Unilever, and will have authority to approve the design for the building. Alternative designs are currently being prepared by two different firms of architects; the Steering Group will ensure that the design selected is consistent with the development plan for the Department of Chemistry. Particular care will be taken in designing the link to the existing Chemistry building.

4. A planning application for the building will be made in the name of the University. Unilever's undertaking to construct the building is subject to a number of conditions, in particular (a) the grant of planning permission, and (b) approval of the project by the Regent House not later than 31 July 1998.

5. The Council recommend:

I.That approval be given for the construction by Unilever plc of a building to house a Unilever Centre for Molecular Sciences Informatics on land to be leased for the purpose, in accordance with the arrangements proposed in this Report.

II.That the Acting Director of Estate Management be authorized to apply for planning consent in due course, subject to the designs being approved by the Development Steering Group for the building.

11 May 1998

[Map showing the location of the proposed building]

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