Manchester Uni gets £30m building boost

PLANS have been announced for a new £30m building for the School of Chemical Engineering at The University of Manchester.

The proposed five-storey building will accommodate research facilities and teaching laboratories for post graduates and undergraduates, as well as enquiry based learning facilities and academic offices.

Construction of the 11,500 sq facilities will take place in two phases, with work on a £11.5m initial phase to start in May 2010.

That first phase, which is expected to be completed by Summer 2011, will be followed by an £18.5m second phase.

The new structure will stand on the corner of Booth Street East and Upper Brook Street – just a short distance south of the site where the School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science is currently located.

The building, which will include an industrial pilot plant and be home to 70 academic and professional services staff, is part of the university’s overall £650m construction programme.

Prof Mike Sutcliffe, head of the School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, said: “Our broad research base enables us to study the design, operation and integration of different complex systems – particularly industrial, biological, and instrumentation – and apply chemical engineering in a 21st century context.

“We believe the school’s success in dissolving barriers between cognate disciplines will provide further benefits for our students and research staff. In support of this goal, the University of Manchester has prioritised plans for investment in a new purpose built home for the school.

“We are delighted to be embarking on a journey – underpinned by an excellent RAE result – that will provide the fit for purpose facilities required for outstanding chemical engineering research and education.”