URS building to close for vital works

The URS building will close as normal at the end of the spring term on 24 March and remain closed to allow for important planned repairs, including repairing leaks and structural damage to the roof.

Preparatory work will also be carried out over the coming months to enable a potential future refurbishment. URS is costly to maintain in its current state, so a refurbishment would make the building more financially sustainable in the long term.

If refurbishment plans are approved, this is likely to be a multi-year project. If practical and safe, parts of the building may re-open earlier.

The planned work in URS is part of a long-term objective to provide modernised and fit-for-purpose spaces for teaching and study.

Andrew Casselden, Director of Estates, said: “Work on the URS building is long overdue. The scale of the work required means the building may be out of action for a considerable period, so we have ensured that alternative teaching and study space is available.”

Alternative study space

The URS building experiences relatively low levels of use, even during exam season, and there is a significant amount of study space for students in the Library and other nearby buildings.

As part of our usual communications to support students with their exam preparation, we are providing the complete and up-to-date list of available study spaces on the student Essentials website.

This includes a new 50-seat study area in Polly Vacher, an expanded student common room on London Road campus, and recently refurbished spaces in Edith Morley, Foxhill House, and Agriculture, in addition to the Student’s Union.

All activities that would have been held in URS after Easter are being reassigned to other buildings. Colleagues will be notified of the new location via email and should update students in affected classes.

Updates on this project will be provided on the Staff Portal and on the Estates webpages.