Reports

Report of the Council on the demolition of the former Cavendish Laboratory buildings in Cambridge West

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

1. Regent House approval for the construction of a new building for the Cavendish Laboratory on the Cambridge West site was given by Grace 3 of 7 February 2018. The new building, which was named the Ray Dolby Centre, in recognition of a benefaction of £75m from Cambridge in America following a donation from the Dagmar Dolby Fund, was completed in 2025. The Department of Physics has completed its relocation from the six existing buildings1 which formed part of the Cavendish Laboratory’s previous accommodation, all of which are now vacant.

2. Following a comprehensive options appraisal by the Estates Division, the Estates Committee has recommended to the Planning and Resources Committee (PRC) that all six vacant buildings are demolished. The PRC has accepted that recommendation and has authorised the development of a full business case for a project to demolish these buildings. An image showing the location of these buildings is provided on p. 349.

3. The buildings to be demolished were constructed in the 1970s and are beyond the end of their expected design life. Individually and collectively they now represent a significant health and safety risk and liability to the University, and the Estates Committee and the PRC are satisfied that there is no viable economic case for their refurbishment. Planning permission for demolition was achieved as part of the University’s outline planning application for Cambridge West, which was approved in 2024.

4. The total estimated cost of the project to demolish the former Cavendish Laboratory buildings is £16m and will be met from the University’s Investment Fund. The work is expected to commence in August 2026 and conclude in July 2027. The full business case will be determined by the PRC at a meeting in Easter Term 2026. Consistent with the revised process for seeking Regent House approval for building projects, the Council expects only to publish a second-stage Notice and Grace, provided there are no material changes to the project.2

5. Two further University buildings are located on the southwestern corner of the Cambridge West site, close to the former Cavendish Laboratory buildings and therefore to the proposed demolition site. The Nanoscience Centre, which is part of the Department of Engineering, will not be materially affected by the demolition works. The Magnetic Resonance Research Centre, which is part of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, will be materially affected by the demolition works. Portable research equipment and offices will be relocated to the main Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Building. Large instruments which cannot be moved will be mothballed for a period.

6. Proposals for new buildings on the site of the former Cavendish Laboratory will be considered by the Estates Committee and the Property Board and will inform Reports to the Regent House in due course.

7. The Council recommends that approval in principle be given for the demolition of the former Cavendish Laboratory buildings in Cambridge West.

18 February 2026

Location map: Former Cavendish Laboratory buildings in Cambridge West

(Clerk Maxwell Road shown on the right)

Report of the Council on changes to Statutes J 4 and C XV

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

1. In this Report, the Council is proposing a change to Statute J 4 to remove a reference to the University Chest and an update to the numbering of Statute C XV.

2. By Grace 2 of 8 March 2023, the Regent House approved changes to remove references to the Chest from the University’s Statutes, subsequently approved by the Privy Council. However, one reference to the Chest was overlooked, which had been added in a separate set of changes to Statute, to reflect a merger creating Cambridge University Press & Assessment. This Report proposes the removal of that reference to the Chest in Statute J 4, retaining reference to the Press and Assessment Syndicate allocating for application by the Council (instead of paying over to the University Chest) a proportion of any sufficient balance shown in the audited accounts agreed upon between the Syndicate and the Council.

3. The opportunity is also being taken to renumber Statute C XV as Statute C XIV, following the rescission of Statute C XIV concerning Associate Lecturers with effect from 1 October 2025.

4. The Council recommends that the Statutes of the University be amended as follows, and that these amendments be submitted to His Majesty in Council for approval.

(a)In Section 4 of Statute J (Statutes and Ordinances, 2024, p. 54) by replacing the words ‘pay over to the University Chest’ with ‘allocate for application at the discretion of the Council’.

(b)In Statute C by renumbering Chapter XV as Chapter XIV (Statutes and Ordinances, 2024, p. 22) and updating any cross-references.

18 February 2026