Update on Estates

After last year’s hectic Malet Street refurbishment programme, work on the new foyer, the completion of the Henry Wellcome building and the fit-out of the new Centre for Film and Visual Media, life may be calmer for staff and students.

‘Any further expansion of the Birkbeck estate in Bloomsbury will be through acquisition and rationalisation, rather than new build,’ comments Philip Cowling, Director of Estates:

• The new International Development Centre, comprising Birkbeck staff and their colleagues from the Bloomsbury Colleges Group, is to move to 36–38 Gordon Square, but this may be a short-term home depending on how the Centre develops.
• The rewiring of Senate House has had a knock-on effect for the College’s occupation of 27–29 Russell Square, with a projected date now of 2008. The current plan is for the Weiner Library to occupy No. 29, if a lift for disabled people can be installed.
• The Estates room bookings team have moved to the old attendant supervisors’ office next to the front door on Malet Street.

Birkbeck is currently taking part in a Capital Investment Framework pilot study with HEFCE, along with the Estates departments of a number of other institutions. ‘Rather than spending on a building by building basis Birkbeck is providing information to show that projected capital allocation from the next spending review would be more long-term, strategic and sustainable,’ comments Philip.

In June he takes over as the London region chairman of the Association of University Directors of Estates. 

Find out more about Estates and Facilities here.