MyGlasgow News

University Court has endorsed the Estate Strategy proposed by Director of Estates and Buildings, Ann Allen. It is a key stage in the development of the historic Gilmorehill Campus and follows the acquisition last year of the 15 acre Western Infirmary site which was originally part of the University's estate back in the 1870s. The site will be handed back to the University next year, once the transfer of NHS services is complete.

The first step in developing the strategy was the adoption by Glasgow City Council of the Campus Development Framework earlier in the summer, a major milestone and the first time such a complex planning document had been approved by the council from an external organisation.

Approved by the City Council, it is also the checking mechanism that will ensure that every component of the Estate Strategy complies with an approved statutory planning document, and is in line with the wider aspirations of the city of Glasgow. The Development Framework will provide the University with the confidence that once strategic decisions have been taken they can be delivered over time as part of an agreed bigger picture.

The Estate Strategy will become one of the University’s key, strategic documents. It is a long-term blueprint for how the campus and the buildings can be shaped and used to support the University of Glasgow’s strategic ambitions.

The Principal, Professor Anton Muscatelli, said: “Court’s endorsement for the University’s Estate Strategy is a significant moment for us all.  A great number of our colleagues have been working enormously hard to consult on our plans and to seek the necessary, statutory approvals.  The world has changed a great deal over the last 150 years, but make no mistake, this is a  great moment for the University of Glasgow, as important as the decision in the 1860s to move from the High Street to Gilmorehill.   These are enormously exciting times and I look forward to sharing them with you as we see our plans advance and the redevelopment of our campus take shape.”

Achieve

The current strategy sets the vision and provides a manual for how the Estate can be developed.  Director of Estates, Ann Allen, said: "It starts to translate the Estate Strategy vision into a plan setting out how the estate will help the University to achieve everything it needs to.  At this stage it brings together many of the concepts on space and public realm that we have been discussing for some time. The strategy does not set out a programme of individual building projects yet."

“It is important that we develop this programme in tandem with the development of the new University Strategy to make sure that the priorities in the estate strategy match the strategic ambitions of the University.” Ann Allen, Director Estates

Ann Allen continued: "The overall aim of the strategy - its 'vision' - is to create a campus that is fit for today and the future. The campus will be innovative, of courageous design and reflective of the University's heritage and ambition in research and teaching and learning, inspiring current and future generations."

Objectives

Court endorsed the key objectives for the redevelopment which were to:

• Provide additional capacity, which is efficient and effective
• Provide larger purpose built inter-connecting buildings which support cross disciplinary working and enable co-location of colleges
• Develop flexible purpose research space which encourage partnership and industry engagement
• Develop quality, purpose designed teaching and  learning facilities
• Develop an infrastructure that supports this level of development
• Improved condition of buildings  

So far the University has launched three engagement and consultation exercises for staff, students and the general public.  It is expected that wide-reaching consultations will continue.

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First published: 9 October 2014