New engineering building for Sheffield

Faculty embarks on ambitious refurbishment programme ahead of growth

Planners have approved an £80 million state-of-the-art building to house the faculty of engineering at the University of Sheffield. 

Professor Keith Burnett, vice-chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: “We recognise that we have been given a wonderful opportunity to create a fitting legacy for the future, an opportunity we take very seriously indeed. We are committed to investing in a high quality, stunning building which will not only be the centrepiece for the faculty of engineering’s continued success, but will also be a source of enormous pride for the city.

The faculty is already one of the UK's largest, with seven departments, more than 4000 students and 900 staff. It hopes to recruit an additional 1600 engineering students and 400 staff by 2020.

The new building will sit on the Jessop East site.

Professor Mike Hounslow, head of the university’s faculty of engineering, said that the project is now waiting for a final sign off from the Secretary of State to approve the demolition of an Edwardian extension to the Jessop Hospital. “With the Council’s support, we are confident that the case for approval has been fully made,” he said.

Hounslow added: “This decision not only means we can soon start work on our fantastic new building, but also makes it possible for us to carry out an ambitious refurbishment programme to bring all our engineering estate up to the standard our staff and students deserve.”
Construction of the building will begin in 2013 and it is scheduled to be fully operational by 2016.