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

executive summaryPart 0Executive SummaryThis Estate Strategy (referred to as ‘the Strategy’in this summary) presents a long-term strategicplan for developing and managing the University’sestate in the optimum way to meet and contributeto its strategic priorities and to ensure fitness forpurpose and legislative compliance. Specifically,it identifies how the estate will support theUniversity’s current strategic priorities, and providesa comprehensive, coherent and flexible plan forthe future and a framework for prioritisation,investment and day to day management of theestate.The structure of the Strategy follows thatpresented to University Court in June 2007; italso takes cognisance of the guidance providedby the Scottish Funding Council in 2007 andother examples of best practice from within theeducation sector and elsewhere.The Strategy acts as an umbrella for several otherpieces of work and as a result there are a numberof additional outputs including an EcologicalSurvey and Habitat Map of the Stirling Campus(see Section 12 and Appendix 2), a revisedDevelopment Plan (Section 14.1 and Appendix5), a revised strategy on student accommodation(Section 17 and Appendix 4) and a CapitalDevelopment Plan for the period until 2016/17(Section 18.3 and Appendix 6).The essence of the Strategy is threefold:££ It is driven by the need to support theUniversity’s strategic priorities and inparticular, the estates implications that thesemay generate£ £ The importance of stewardship of theestate and continued investment directedat improving the quality, functionality andsustainability of the buildings and widerestate while at the same time eroding themaintenance backlog£ £ Consolidation on campus within Stirling,particularly with reference to the provision ofresidential accommodation for studentsPart 1 provides an overview of the size and profileof the University, identifies the nine strategicmessages that underpin the Strategy and describeshow the Strategy fits within the University’s overallplanning process.Part 2 sets the Strategy within the local andpublic policy context and considers the vision for21st Century Stirling, and the Regional EconomicDevelopment Strategy produced by the Forth ValleyEconomic Forum. It is clear that the Universityalready plays a key role in many areas but thatthere are still areas where further joint workingand alignment could be beneficial. Part 2 alsodescribes the current planning system in Scotland,the changes that will result from the enactmentof the Planning Act 2006 (Scotland) and identifiesthe policies in the current Local Plan that couldaffect the University. Finally, this section providesa summary of the environmental legislation thatapplies to the Stirling campus and an overview ofthe non-statutory designations which are in place.Part 3 provides a description of the existing estatein Stirling (on and off campus), on the Highlandand Western Isles campuses and on the remotefish farms and research stations operated by theInstitute of Aquaculture. This section details landand building areas, use, tenure and valuations.It also highlights the key findings of the lastsurvey of condition and statutory complianceand, in particular, that the University wouldhave to invest £52 million to make the entireestate sound. The University’s property does notsuffer from major structural problems but thereis much refurbishment still to be undertaken asbuildings and the infrastructure serving themand the campus reach 35-40 years of age andthe funding of this work will present a significantchallenge. This section also describes the statutorydesignations which apply to the Stirling campus(Garden and Designed Landscape and part of anArea of Great Landscape Value area), presents thefindings of the Ecological Survey and considersspace management and performance metrics.4