RUMS News -

Dear all,

The Union is delighted to announce exciting developments in the ‘Save Huntley Street’s Facilities’ campaign.

As first reported six weeks ago, the College has identified 43-49 Huntley Street as a location to build a new research facility. The facility has been confirmed as being of high strategic priority for UCL, and as reported last time, I took the decision that any campaign to attempt to prevent the development moving forward would at best delay the inevitable and at worst both antagonise UCL and miss the opportunity to rehouse Huntley’s facilities.

Since my last update, the Union, the Senior Management Team of UCL, and the UCL Estates and Facilities Division have been in regular conversation, attempting to find a suitable site for the relocation of the wide array of facilities. We have been encouraged by the willingness and desire of College to help us, and are pleased and excited with the new location that we have found.

We have come to an agreement to rehouse all of the facilities based in Huntley Street at 134-136 Gower Street (Lewis’s Building), 23 Gower Place, and the brilliantly named, Old Mouse House. The buildings can provide an increase in space, capacity and an opportunity for further desired developments of wider UCL Union facilities.

In the initial meetings some concerns over space were identified, but after negotiation we are also pleased to announce that we have secured another floor of these buildings in return for the Rockefeller Cafe. The opportunity to provide cafe, rehearsal, storage, office, or additional social space is an incredible opportunity and one that will greatly benefit RUMS and the Union as a whole.

Whilst the timelines for the project have yet to be determined the ambition is ensure that the move between facilities is seamless and that it occurs at the latest by Easter 2011. Ideally the ambition is to relocate facilities by September 2010. Whilst the final date will be dependent on numerous factors, but we have full confidence that UCL’s Estates and Facilities Division will work closely with us to deliver to these very tight deadlines.

The details of how we use these new spaces will be opened up for consultation, but we will be maintaining our commitment to the campaign and mandate to ensure the adequate replacement of all those facilities currently housed in Huntley Street as well as those in the Rockefeller Cafe.

If you have any comments or questions, feel free to email mps.officer@ucl.ac.uk and I will attempt to respond quickly.

Until next time,

Billy Street
Medical and Postgraduate Students’ Officer