reports

Report of the Council on the construction of a new building for the Genetics Field Station

The COUNCIL begs leave to report to the University as follows:

1. The site of the existing Genetics Field Station on Huntingdon Road will lie within the North West Cambridge Development Area. A review of the Biological Field Stations in 2004 proposed that this field station should be relocated to the Animal Behaviour site in Madingley. The proposed relocation will reinforce an existing cluster of academic research activities on this Biological Sciences research site.

2. The relocated Field Station will accommodate the research groups of Professor M. E. N. Majerus in the Department of Genetics and Dr C. D. Jiggins in the Department of Zoology, and the facility will be used for insect culture and ethological and ecological experimental work. A main building of 352m² will house one large and two smaller laboratories, five controlled environment rooms, an insect collection, two offices, and ancillary accommodation. In addition a glasshouse of 208m² will be used for butterfly and aphid culture, and the maintenance of food plants for insects.

3. The Genetics Field Station and glasshouse will occupy a previously developed part of the site. The main building will occupy the site of two redundant buildings, namely F113 and F114, which, together with a redundant incinerator house, have a floor area of approx 200m²; the glasshouse will displace a disused hut F112 which has a floor area of 47m². This will protect the landscape and allow both building and glasshouse to be placed between existing mature trees.

4. As the Field Station is located in a rural conservation area, careful consideration has been given to the design of the building, and the form of the structure and choice of materials is intended to complement and blend with the other buildings on the site. Space for mechanical and electrical plant is to be provided in a first floor plantroom accessed externally from a secure compound. Mechanical plant will be provided to maintain the environmental conditions in laboratories necessary for the maintenance of insects and to prevent the entry of other insects. The glasshouse will be provided as a package by a commercial glasshouse manufacturer who has experience in providing the specified environmental conditions, particularly having regard to the 'insect proof' requirement.

5. The total scheme cost is £1.89m which will be funded from the North West Cambridge infrastructure budget. Procurement will use a two-stage tendering process with the Contractor responsible for development of the detailed design and construction of the building.

•  Plan of new building for the Genetics Field Station

6. The Council recommends:

I. That approval be given for the construction of a new building for the Genetics Field Station, as described in this Report.

II. That the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) be authorized to accept tenders for the works in due course, within available funding.