Frequently Asked Questions

Questions

Answers

The Development

Q1: What does the planned Newton Park campus development involve?
- A1: The world-class development will provide a new academic building covering approximately 8,000 sq. metres located in the central part of the Newton Park campus, along with new halls of residence for up to 600 students located at the top end of the campus (near the Students’ Union).
- Artists’ impressions of the new academic building (Phase 1) and the new student residential buildings (Phase 2) are available on this website.
Q2: How will the development improve facilities for students?
- A2: This world-class development will transform facilities for our students. As well as state-of-the-art teaching facilities, digital space and a café, the academic building will include approximately 1,800 square metres of Learning Commons which comprises a range of open access technology enabled study space, social learning space and bookable group working rooms.
- The Learning Commons will more than double the number of study spaces currently available in Newton Park Library (which is being retained as an additional resource for students), as well as providing a variety of study zones to meet student needs.
- A superb new digital space will provide the best resources for teaching digital media-related courses in the south-west, equal to anything found at cutting-edge commercial organisations and broadcast companies.
- The new academic building will enable the University to continue to provide an environment for learning which is stimulating, dynamic, uplifting and enjoyable.
- There will be a new outside amphitheatre primarily for the use of students in the School of Music and Performing Arts.
- The new residential buildings will provide accommodation for around 600 students.
Q3: Will there be new sports facilities?
- A3: We hope that part of the residential development will include permanent provision of a netball court and it also includes new and improved changing facilities for the students.
- The provision of additional/improved sports facilities is also on the agenda for the overall development at Newton Park in the future.
Q4: Will there be new student social facilities?
- A4: The main student social facilities will continue to be provided in the Students’ Union.
- The University is also investigating the possibility of further enhancing social facilities for students in the future.
- The new academic building will, of course, provide considerably improved social learning facilities and a café.
Q5: Will there be more development in the foreseeable future?
- A5: There is a master-plan that identifies changes to the Newton Park campus over 20 years. as such, the overall development will be phased, and there will be further residential and academic development opportunities in the future.

Timings

Q6: What stage have the plans reached?
- A6: The world-class development comprises of two phases.
- Phase 1 is a state-of-the-art academic building in the centre of the campus, close to the Michael Tippett centre. It also includes relocation of the generator to a new energy centre. This phase of the development has been approved by Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) Council following a round of public consultations and will commence in 2012.
- A public consultation has taken place for Phase 2 which will provide new student residential buildings on the edge of the campus, close to the Student Union. Planning is yet to be submitted for Phase 2.
Q7: When will building work start and finish?
- A7: This world-class development comprises of two phases.
- Phase 1: A state-of-the-art academic building in the centre of the campus, close to the Michael Tippett centre, and a new energy centre which relocates the generator. This phase of the development has been approved.
- The construction of the state-of-the-art academic building will commence in 2012. Enabling works, such as ground clearing and preparation, will take place over the Easter holidays in April 2012. The major works, such as demolition and digging out of the basement, take place over the summer holidays to avoid disruption during term time. From July 2012, the works will be carefully enclosed behind hoardings to minimise disruption. During the Autumn term, construction begins. The outer shell will be constructed as quickly as possible so as to contain internal building work and further reduce disruption. The development will be complete in early 2014.
- Phase 2: A public consultation has taken place for Phase 2 which will provide new student residential buildings on the edge of the campus, close to the Student Union. Planning is yet to be submitted for Phase 2.
- It is hoped that the building of the student residences will start in spring 2013 and also finish by spring 2014.
- Building works have been carefully timetabled to minimise disruption; for example, major demolition is occurring over the summer holidays.
- A timetable is available on this website.
Q8: What are the key milestones?
- A8: The timetable shows that building works have been carefully timetabled to minimise disruption; for example, major demolition is occurring over the summer holidays.

Environment

Q9: How will this affect the appearance of the campus?
- A9: The visually stunning building will sit within the existing University site.
- The development has been designed in consultation with English Heritage and Natural England, which support and endorse the plans. It meets the highest environmental standards and will blend sympathetically into the existing estate to provide a unique blend of modernity and history.
- English Heritage declared that “It has architectural integrity as a building clearly of the 21st century to provide [a] hi-tech academic centre”.
- South West Design Review Panel said that the plan was “just what we would want to see in a campus in the park of a Palladian mansion in the hinterland of Bath.”
- It will complement the wonderful blend of history and modernity that is already a unique feature of the campus, and will significantly enhance the appeal of the University to students, staff and visitors.
- The residential building is being carefully designed to be in keeping with its surroundings and will be located at the top of the campus near to the Students’ Union.
Q10: Have environmental considerations been taken into account?
- A10: Bath Spa University takes its environmental responsibilities extremely seriously and the University place sustainability at the heart of the development plans.
- The buildings will conform to the highest standards of environmental performance - BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) excellent.
- Features will include, for example, a ‘living’ sedum roof and energy efficient lighting.

Disruption

Q11: Will there be substantial disruption?
- A11: While the University is investing in the future, it is also committed to providing the best possible experience for current students, and the best working conditions for staff.
- This is a major building project and there will inevitably be some disruption – as there has been across many university campuses up and down the country – but this will be carefully managed and kept to a minimum.
- Phase 1 (the academic building and relocation of the generator) is centrally located and will therefore have more impact than Phase 2 (student residential accommodation) on the day-to-day lives of students and staff. However, The development has been meticulously planned to minimise disruption.
- Both the University and the contractors are committed to ensuring that ‘business as usual’ may carry on during construction work.
- Contractors appointed to this development will have experience of construction works in educational settings.
- Particularly noisy aspects of the building work will be scheduled to minimise the impact on students (for example, during vacations).
- There will be obligations on the contractor to control noise and dust in accordance with the Considerate Contractors Scheme.
- Students and staff will be kept fully informed about what to expect, and reassured about how this disruption will be handled.
- Full information will be given to students about any changes in arrangements during the building work (such as alterations to footpaths, temporary car-parking, temporary closures to the main drive, alterations to the bus service and use of mini-buses).
Q12: What will be the effect of demolishing existing buildings?
- A12: The works will remove buildings from the 1960’s which are of low architectural quality, high maintenance and no longer fit for purpose.
- No teaching accommodation will be demolished during the construction period and therefore normal teaching activities will be maintained.
- Two existing halls of residence (Nevill and Hungerford) will be demolished in preparation for the new academic building and this will result in the loss of 82 bed spaces on campus for one year. The 82 spaces will be replaced by additional independent housing in the private sector (the University secures a number of houses in the private rented sector each year for first year students) and by additional spaces in Charlton Court.
- Once the new student residential buildings, proposed for Phase 2 of the development, are complete the University will be able to guarantee accommodation for all eligible first year students.
Q13: Will there be a lot of noise during the development?
- A13: This is a major building project and there will inevitably be some disruption during the building work – as there has been across many university campuses up and down the country – but this will be carefully managed and kept to a minimum.
- The development has been meticulously planned to minimise disruption. Both the University and the contractors are committed to ensuring that ‘business as usual’ may carry on during construction work.
- Particularly noisy aspects of the building work will be scheduled to minimise the impact on students (for example, during vacations).
- Major works - such as demolition and digging out of the basement - are take place over the summer holidays.
- From July 2012, the works will be carefully enclosed behind hoardings to further minimise noise and disruption.
- The outer shell will be constructed as quickly as possible so as to contain internal building work and further reduce disruption.
- Contractors appointed to this development will have experience of construction work in educational settings. There will also be obligations on the contractor to control noise and dust in accordance with the Considerate Contractors Scheme.
Q14: Will the development affect transport?
- A14: The development has been meticulously planned to minimise disruption.
- Both the University and the contractors are committed to ensuring that ‘business as usual’ may carry on during construction work.
- Much of the heavy transporting into campus will take place during the summer holidays to avoid disruption.
- Any deliveries onto campus during term time will be carefully managed to avoid busy periods.
Q15: Will the development affect parking?
- A15: The development will involve the closure of the Michael Tippett Centre car park.
- The University is re-providing all of these spaces in a temporary car park outside the Stable building (near to the Student Union end of the campus). This will be ready for September 2012.
- Disabled spaces will be provided near to Main House, although the exact location is still being discussed.
- The University will continue to promote bus travel and car sharing to lessen our impact on the environment.

Keeping Informed and Getting Involved

Q16: How can I find out more about the development?
- A16: Information about the development, including artist’s impressions, can be found at on this website.
- From December - and throughout the course of the development - this page will be regularly updated with the latest news.
- We will add a range of resources to this page before work begins: a timeline of the project milestones; interactive animation showing the construction from beginning to end; FAQs; webcam; meeting notes; an online comment box for your questions and views. There will also be a secure link for information specifically for staff and students.
- Update meetings will be regularly provided to pass on information about the development and to discuss any questions. A timetable of these meetings will commence in 2012.
- You can keep up to date by reading the monthly newsletter BSU Online.
Q17: How can I ask questions?
- A17: Before the development commences, space will be created online for comments, questions and views. This will be provided by a secure link on this website.
- As soon as this is ready, it will be announced in the monthly newsletter BSU Online.
- Face-to-face update meetings will also be regularly provided to pass on information about the development and to discuss any questions. A timetable of these meetings will commence in 2012.
Q18: Will there be opportunities for students to get involved in any way?
- A18: Staff and students have been involved throughout the consultation process and we also envisage some exciting project or work placement opportunities for students. These are subject to further discussion, but opportunities could be open to students in subjects as varied as business, media, film, photography, publishing, creative writing, art, music, dance.

Other Logistics

Q19: What will the project cost and where is the money coming from?
- A19: The University is in a sound financial position without borrowings, and has been planning this development for some time.
- The University wants to provide the best possible facilities for students, sympathetic to the beauty and uniqueness of the historic Newton Park setting.
- There will be some initial bank borrowing, and the costs of the residential building (around £30m) will be recovered through student rents over the anticipated lifetime of the development.
Q20: Which contractors are working on the development?
- A20: The University is currently finalising arrangements and a contract is expected to be ready in the middle of December.
- The contractors being considered are committed to ensuring that ‘business as usual’ may carry on during construction work.
- Contractors appointed to this development will have experience of construction works in educational settings.
Q21: Who are the key stakeholders in this project?
- A21: University Staff and Students
- Bath and North East Somerset Council
- English Heritage
- Duchy of Cornwall
- Local residents (including neighbouring villages and Bath city centre)
- Natural England
- Environment Agency