estate strategy 2007-2017 - Publication Scheme - University of Stirling

development potentialPart 4Development Potential14. Campus Development Plan14.1 The Existing Campus – RevisedDevelopment PlanThe original development plan for the Universitywas produced in 1968 and subsequently updatedin 1973 following the initial development of thecampus. A review of these original developmentplans was undertaken in 1994 and an InterimDevelopment Plan prepared at that time inconsultation with the Local Authority.Considerable development has taken place in thelast 10 years and all of the previous DevelopmentPlans may now be considered to be out ofdate. A re-assessment of the Campus and itscapacity for further development has thereforebeen undertaken utilising external consultantsand professional staff within the University. Inidentifying sites for these potential developmentsaccount has been taken of the University’s desireto maintain the integrity and value of the DesignedLandscape and of the concerns expressed byoutside conservation bodies such as HistoricScotland. In particular, to maintain the qualities ofthe estate and campus three design principles forthe location of new development established inthe 1968 Development Plan continue to be appliedwhere possible. These are:££ New development should be an extensionto the existing teaching and social coreas envisaged by the 1968 and 1973Development Plans££ New development should be located close tothe edges of the Estate with a backgroundsetting of woodland££ New development outwith these zonesshould be located so as to maintain views,to and across water, within and beyond thecampus, and should not interrupt the mainvisual horizons or ridges within the siteA plan of the campus with the potentialdevelopment sites identified is included atAppendix 5. Sites for both building (coloured pink)and landscape development (coloured green) havebeen identified and, where possible, the buildingdevelopment sites have been categorised underacademic, sports, commercial and residential. Thesites for future building development identifiedon the plan for the most part meet the first twocriteria above. The Peninsula site to the east of thecentral area, Wallace View at the east end of thecampus, and the Airthrey Castle annex sites wouldall require careful consideration in relation to thethird criterion above, as all three are within thevisual field of Airthrey Castle.As far as non-residential accommodation on theStirling campus is concerned, sufficient buildingsites remain readily available, subject to planningapproval, to cater for growth. Further sites areavailable for the expansion of the ManagementCentre and Sports Centre, and for free-standingand privately resourced institutes should suchdevelopment be desirable.With regard to residential accommodation, it isestimated that the Campus can provide sites fora total of 250 additional bed spaces (currently1965). However, the University’s policy is toincrease the amount of ensuite accommodationas refurbishments proceed in order to provide anappropriate quality of accommodation for studentsand commercial customers. The total number ofbed spaces will reduce over the period as the hallsare refurbished and altered to increase the numberof ensuite rooms. This reduction could be offsetby the provision of an appropriate number of newspaces on the development sites.The updated Development Plan has been discussedwith the representatives of the local authority’sPlanning Department and no particular concernswere raised about any of the developmentsindicated. The University indicated its preferencethat the updated Development Plan should bereferenced in the current Local Plan as the newLocal Development Plan (LDP) would not beproduced for a number of years. The Plannersconfirmed that there was a precedent forenshrining this type of information in the CurrentLocal Plan as Supplementary Planning Guidance.36