Why is the Proposed Extension to the Lasdun Wall required?

There are two reasons: one is to provide an additional volume of space to de-risk as much of our research infrastructure as possible and the second is because modern research needs a much deeper planform.  The proposals will help ensure that this part of the campus is sustainable and fit for the future. The condition of the Lasdun Wall is deteriorating fast, requiring ongoing urgent essential remedial work.  Using it beyond 2025, without major repair, increases the risk of it needing to be closed completely.  It is also necessary to provide new space for the current science research facilities so they are not at risk, and the only way to provide a viable future for the Lasdun Wall is to invest the funding that is available into refurbishing and extending Building 3 to create modern science research facilities and teaching space that meets the academic needs of the University.  Modern science laboratories need much deeper floorplans than those conceived in the 1960s, therefore, the existing 14m wide floorplans need to be extended to 28m floorplans, which is reflected in the proposed extensions.

What will the building look like?

The appearance of the southern façade and walkways that provide a backdrop to the Grade II* Listed Ziggurats will not be impacted by the proposed extensions.  The windows will be replaced in order to provide the required improvement in thermal performance.  The new windows will be designed to resemble the original, as far as feasibly possible, given the thermal performance we require.  To the north side, there will be two modest extensions which have been designed to complement the original building whilst providing the required accommodation for the science research laboratories and teaching space.  The east extension is proposed to be set back from the east elevation of the Lasdun Wall to allow the original building to be at the forefront of the strategic view from Founders Green. 

How big will the extension be?

The proposed extension will be around 2900m2.

Are any buildings proposed to be demolished?

No buildings are proposed to be demolished.

Will there be any tree loss?

The building design work has sought to minimise the loss of trees, however, it will be necessary to remove trees which are growing close to, or within, the new building footprint.  The current design identifies 13 trees that will be lost - the design team will continue to consider ways this number can be lessened. Six of the trees to be removed are small and relatively young. A further 2 trees are in poor condition.  All the losses will be more than off-set by planting and other improvements to the rest of the campus. 

When will work start and finish?

Subject to securing Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent, the enabling works will start towards the end of 2022 and the main construction works will take place from the summer of 2023 through to completion in the summer of 2025.

How much will it cost?

The proposed works need to be tendered before the cost is known.  Until the tender exercise is complete the anticipated cost of the works is commercially sensitive. 

Will the building be sustainable?

Yes – the proposed refurbishment will ensure a sustainable future for the Lasdun Wall and is an essential step towards the University’s net zero carbon goals.   The University has set clear targets to be 80% net zero carbon for campus emissions by 2030 and 100% net zero carbon by 2045 or earlier, without relying on off-setting to reach our targets.  The Lasdun Wall currently accounts for 20% of the University’s built estate carbon emissions - a huge amount of heat is currently lost through the façade of the building, particularly the windows.  The thermal performance of the building will be significantly improved by the replacement of the windows and insulation of the structure, requiring much less energy in use to heat the building in the future.  The refurbishment will also enable the future use of zero and low carbon technologies and energy efficient services.

How will the environmental performance of the building be improved?

The environmental performance of the building will be improved through insulation of the concrete structure and the replacement of the single-glazed windows with thermally efficient glazing that replicates the appearance of the original windows.  This will provide an improvement in thermal performance of 85% over the current baseline.

Will the building be accessible?

Improving accessibility is a key requirement of the scheme and will be integral to the design of the building and the internal space including laboratories, teaching space and welfare areas.  A new entrance is proposed within the scheme that will be fully accessible.  The new entrance will significantly improve accessibility to the Lasdun Wall as most of the current entrances are accessed via steps.  Our long-term plan is that the new entrance will provide access to a single plane of teaching space on one level along the entire Lasdun Wall. 

What facilities will Building 3 contain?

There will be two floors of general-purpose teaching space and four floors of laboratory space.  

The research laboratories have been designed in collaboration with the Faculty of Science and teaching spaces with the input of a wide range of staff from across the University

What faculties and departments will occupy the building?

The Faculty of Science will occupy the lab floors of building.  Primary users of the labs will be staff from Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Engineering and Environmental Science.  There will also be general purpose teaching space which will be available to all our Faculties.

How long will the proposed refurbishment and extension of Building 3 take?

The refurbishment and extension of Building 3 is scheduled to be completed by summer 2025, allowing it to be used for the start of Academic Year 2025/26.

What happens once the work on Building 3 is completed?

The next planned phase is the refurbishment of Building 6, as shown in the diagram below. Further works to the building cannot begin until the end of Phase 1, but the planning for Phase 2 will be starting this year.

How long will the refurbishment of the whole of the Lasdun Wall take?

This is a four-phase programme of work. Once Phase 1 (the refurbishment of Building 3) is complete in 2025 the remaining phases of work will be possible. Depending on a range of factors, Phases 2 to 4 could take up to a further 15 years to complete.

Will listed building consent be required?

The Lasdun Wall is ‘Listed’ and, therefore, considered as a ‘Heritage Asset’ (in this case a building identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions, because of its heritage interest).  In addition to planning permission, listed building consent will also be required. This is the mechanism by which planning authorities ensure that any changes to listed buildings are appropriate and sympathetic to their character.  Proposed designs must take into account the special architectural and historic interest in the building. This can include very finely balanced issues such as the colour of the concrete, the efforts made to preserve historic fabric during works, the detail of windows/features and, in certain cases, fixtures and fittings. The depth of detail may also extend to the types and nature of the materials employed and their consistency with the retained elements of historic fabric.

Why don’t we just build a new building, put up temporary offices or rent spaces off campus instead of refurbishing the Lasdun Wall?

The primary reason is financial. Our capital budget is limited, and we have had to look carefully at reasonable options. New buildings would also add to our carbon footprint.

This means that it’s neither practical to both fund a new building and begin the works to the Lasdun Wall. Nor is it possible to maintain the current size of our estate and keep it in a safe and attractive condition. Our focus is on modernising and upgrading our buildings and boosting their environmental performance, but that inevitably means we have to manage with less space.

Temporary buildings, which have been investigated, are very expensive, would only provide a short-term solution and would also need planning consent. If we spend capital funding on temporary buildings, there would be no money left to properly repair the Lasdun Wall and the essential repairs would need to be delayed. No temporary solution comes close to achieving the benefits of refurbishing the Lasdun Wall.

What impact does the Listed status of the Lasdun Wall have on the project?

As a Listed Building we have an obligation and desire to maintain the Lasdun Wall and our historic campus. However, the listing is a significant constraint on what we can do and is one of the most significant challenges facing the design team for the work on Building 3 (Arts 1&2). The external character of the Wall is regarded as highly significant and protected very clearly by the listing. This means that a major refit is challenging especially with the need to improve the building’s environmental performance. 

Why not just remove the listing?

The Lasdun Wall was officially listed in 2003, the principles behind that listing have not changed. It remains a building of National Special Interest and is also important to both the University and our civic and heritage partners.

Who should I contact for further questions?

If you have a question which is not answered within the sections of our Frequently Asked Questions please see the ‘Next Steps and Feedback’ section of this site for information about how to contact us about the scheme. 

If you would like to receive the information contained on this site, and/or provide feedback, in an

alternative format (e.g. printed, large print etc.) please contact us on 01603 592121 or email Estates.Listening2u@uea.ac.uk