Oxford University has revealed plans to drastically redevelop the existing science site in South Parks Road.
The move, set to increase the total spent on science buildings since December 2008 to over £1bn, will benefit students through improvements in lecture and teaching space. The current densely developed site surrounding the University Parks will be completely overhauled, with only the best of the current buildings being retained. The university has similarly promised to only commission leading architects, to ensure the proposals will “live up to the reputation of Oxford.”
Plans include eradicating car parking spaces and pedestrianizing the area, in a project which looks set to dwarf the transformation of the Radcliffe Infirmary site in size and cost. A university spokesperson emphasised that the new area would demonstrate Oxford “incorporating its sustainability strategy into the masterplan,” adding, “The redevelopment of the science area represents a huge transformation of the already world-leading research and teaching of science at Oxford University.”
He emphasised that the plans were necessary to maintain Oxford’s position at the forefront of scientific research, stating, “The new buildings will provide researchers with state-of-the-art facilities, allowing scientists to broaden the type and quality of their research and to continue [to] attract world class academics and talented students.”
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Constantin-C. Coussios, welcomed the proposals, commenting, “The redevelopment of the science area as a site that encourages multidisciplinarity and communication between the basic sciences will undoubtedly enhance Oxford’s unique capabilities in translating basic research into clinical practice.” This is in contrast to the current situation, which he described as containing world class departments which have been “developed in a fragmented fashion” and are therefore ‘relatively isolated from each other.”
Science students also welcomed the redevelopment, with first-year Physicist Sam Thomas commenting, “Scientific research continually needs to adapt to meet new challenges and questions posed by experimental evidence. Continual investment is therefore the only way to keep our researchers at the forefront of scientific discovery.”
Phillip Oddie, a first-year Medic at Somerville, added, “We are living in difficult economic times. It is progress in Materials Science and engineering that will solve the energy crisis of the coming years and only investment in biosciences will fix the problem of our ageing population.” Oddie also welcomed the discrepancy between investment in science subjects and the arts, stating, “No matter what their cultural value, the arts don’t produce enough practical benefits. When was the last time that a thorough analysis of the metaphysical poets’ use of metaphor gave us a new treatment for prostate cancer?”
However, first-year French student Eleanor Halls expressed her disappointment concerning “the undeniable discrepancies in funding for science and funding for arts projects.” She claimed it was a “great shame” that arts subjects were “comparatively neglected,” adding, “£1bn is an incredible sum of money — I can only wish that a fraction of it was spent on the humanities.” This feeling was shared by second-year Classicist Emily Hinks, who added, “Whilst I fully appreciate the invaluable role of science in society, I am disappointed that a similar level of support is not given to arts subjects.”
However, such high spending was defended by the university, as a spokesperson explained, “The £1bn figure represents a number of individual buildings constructed over a large period of time, some of which have not been built yet. The money for buildings does not come out of government funding but from philanthropic donations and other sources of funding including University and departmental contributions. Building only starts on a project when funding is already in place.”
The plans come in addition to a £49m biochemistry building and a £28m earth sciences building recently constructed, and on the back of successful planning applications for a £165m chemistry department and a £34m physics building, for which construction is expected to begin next year.Â
