University buildings set to be bulldozed
WORK WILL START IN SUMMER
THREE buildings are set to be demolished at the University of Huddersfield – and one has collapse-prone concrete in its roof.
The Edith Key building, Researcher Hub and George Buckley Lecture theatre at the Queensgate Campus are the three buildings the University wants to demolish. The University says that the buildings are no longer in use.
The Edith Key building dates back to the 1960s and originally housed the University’s music department. Since then, it has provided research facilities for the school of Human and Health Sciences, according to Discover Huddersfield.
In its application, the University states: “The three buildings are linked structures, all with different constructions. One of the buildings has RAAC [Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete] concrete in the roof panels.
“All three buildings are disused and surplus to the University’s accommodation requirements.”
Planning documents state that the University wants to demolish the buildings this summer after graduation ceremonies have been completed. A target start date has been set for Saturday, July 20, with works expected to take six weeks.
A spokesperson for The University of Huddersfield said: “The University continues to develop in order to deliver the best possible experience for our students and our staff. We have a continual programme of development, refurbishment and from time-to-time a need to demolish buildings and this application is part of that process.
“The three buildings are currently not in use so there will be no impact on students or staff as a result of this change.
“The next phase of the development part of our programme is of course the opening of the new Daphne Steele building in September of this year, a significant investment for our students, staff and the community of Huddersfield, and the region.”
The Daphne Steele building at Southgate comes as part of the University’s £250m National Health Innovation Campus. Once completed, the building will house a Health and Wellbeing Academy with specialist clinical teaching facilities and publicly-accessible clinics.
The three buildings are currently not in use so there will be no impact on students or staff
University spokesperson