Plans have been approved for a new Civil Engineering Building at the University of Cambridge.

The three-storey facility will be located on the West Cambridge site and SDC Builders will start work on the development in the coming months.

Designed by Grimshaw Architects, the facility will house the University's civil engineering team as well as the National Research Facility for Infrastructure Sensing, which is part of a UK Collaboration for Research in Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC).

In addition, the building is part-funded by UKCRIC and research will focus on the application and development of advanced sensor technologies for the monitoring of the UK's existing and future infrastructure, in order to improve resilience and extract maximum whole life value.

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As well as being energy-efficient, the facility will accommodate workshops, laboratories, and offices as well as informal social space and seminar facilities.

Director of Research at the Department, Philip Guildford said: "The work of our civil engineers is of national importance, promising to help find new solutions and, in doing so, open careers for young engineers, address challenges in our own cities, and create export opportunities.

"Ultimately, we hope to move all of our activities from the cramped central site on Trumpington Street to West Cambridge, so that all of our engineering disciplines can be together and work together in this expanding part of the City. Such collaboration is essential for modern engineering."

The proposals for the new civil engineering building are part of the University's plans to create a premier site for physical sciences and technology and a new outline planning application is currently with the local authorities for consideration.

(LM)