Science and Engineering Precinct

“Our vision is to create a world-class Science and Engineering Precinct that transforms the heart of the campus and enables excellence in Research and Education. The highly sustainable, low-carbon, smart, new building infrastructure will establish a new destination that is open, inclusive, and highly connected, to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation and promote strong disciplinary identity across Warwick’s science and engineering community.”

Science and Engineering Precinct

By 2030, Warwick will be one of the world's exceptional universities, helping to transform our region, country and world for the collective good.

Science, Engineering and Medicine education and research is a key priority for our University strategy, as such we are seeking to strengthen our existing world class activities, so we can continue to lead innovation and scientific discovery in a changing world.

The Science and Engineering Precinct will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine our spaces which will provide a combination of new buildings, repurposing of existing buildings, and revitalise the landscape and public realm to transform the heart of our campus for decades to come.

Read about our research impact.

Proposal

Science and Engineering Precinct Parameter Plan

The areas shaded amber includes buildings and associated external spaces and illustrate the maximum parameters proposed for the development.

The Science and Engineering Precinct is a key element for our vision for the University Campus.

We have an opportunity to renew and transform the heart of our campus to create a new University Green, which will strengthen placemaking, connectivity and accessibility routes.

We are proposing a development near the main entrance to the campus.

There will be a new Science and Engineering building created for teaching and research, built for use by the Physics, Chemistry and Engineering departments and the wider faculty. This will be followed by further phases of demolition, repurposing, and new build. We will also build a new Energy Innovation Centre.

There will be a phased approach to the developments over a ten-year period.

Indicative Science and Engineering Precinct Landscape Concept Plan

Design Principles

We aspire to create the dynamic environment for our education and research to flourish, embodying our aspiration for social inclusion, enabling us to embrace opportunities for innovation, facilitating our contribution as a regional leader, and exemplifying internationalisation through intercultural experiences and opportunities.

The Science and Engineering Precinct forms part of our campus Masterplan which will set out how the environment, buildings and infrastructure we create will ensure Warwick can become one of the world’s exceptional university campuses. It will show how the campus connects our neighbouring communities with our students and staff for their mutual benefit.

Masterplan key aims:

To form a vibrant learning, working, and living community
To shape a distinctive campus experience that has a ‘cosmopolitan in the countryside’ feel
To transform regional transport connectivity to campus
To create an accessible, inclusive, and people-focused environment

To deliver a SMART carbon-neutral campus

The design principles for the proposed development are:

To create a “new heart” in this location on campus
Inclusive placemaking and green landscaping
Improved connectivity through the campus
To create world class facilities that are functionally suitable for the future and high performing
High sustainability aspirations (Well, Passivhaus design principles, Low Carbon Design, BREEAM)

Illustrative Science and Engineering Precinct Vision Sketch

Planning

We are currently working on the necessary planning applications for the proposal.

Due to the nature of the site we need to prepare it for the development. We therefore need to submit two planning applications:

Enabling Works application for site preparation works
Outline planning application to establish principles of height and layout

To prepare the site for redevelopment, we will be applying to Coventry City Council for permission to undertake the following enabling works:

Removal of car park – circa 250 spaces (transport assessments have confirmed that there is adequate capacity across existing car parks)
Diversion of services infrastructure including lighting
Removal of some existing trees and vegetation
Site levelling
Creation of service access to enable continuation of servicing to existing building during construction
Relocate bus stop

The timeframe for the enabling works to be undertaken is between late spring 2024 to spring 2025 (subject to planning permission being granted).

The outline planning application will identify the proposed location of new buildings and maximum heights and lengths and widths, landscape and public realm concepts, with a planned overall biodiversity net gain. The development will be a mix of new builds, refurbishment of existing buildings, and some selective demolition.

If the principle of the development is approved through the outline planning application, further planning applications which will seek permission for the detailed design of the buildings, landscape and public realm will be submitted to Coventry City Council (known as Reserved Matters).

The timeframe for construction on the three phases of the development is early 2025 to late 2033.

End of Phase 1 - Total GIA - 52,797m²

End of Phase 2 - Total GIA - 62,207m²

End of Phase 3 - Total GIA - 58,291m²

Have your say

Your views are important to us and we would like to hear your feedback before we finalise our proposals and submit the two planning applications to Coventry City Council.

We hosted a drop-in information session on Wednesday 1st November where there was an opportunity to talk to some of the team working on the project.

There is still an opportunity to comment or ask questions, by emailing or call
024 7615 0708 to speak to a member of the team.

The information you provide will be used only for the purposes of understanding public opinion on the project. Any feedback provided will be summarised in a Statement of Community Engagement which will be submitted alongside the planning applications to Coventry City Council. Personal details will not be shared with any other third party and we will not contact you in relation to any other project or for marketing purposes. The information you provide will be stored securely until determination of the planning application. Following determination, this information will be deleted. If you have indicated that you would like to be kept informed on progress with the proposals, your information will only be shared with third parties for the express purpose of keeping you informed, and with The University of Warwick and/or the relevant local authority where there is a legal obligation to do so. It will not be forwarded on to any other third parties. You can contact us at any time to request the deletion of your information. Please contact us at