HeartZone Infrastructure Project

Summary:

The overall vision for the campus is to create a distinct high quality learning environment. At the centre of this is the HeartZone which will deliver a new, unique focal heart to the University that will be the main focus for the campus. A vibrant sustainable concept is to be adopted that will help create a focal statement and a ‘Wow’ factor upon arrival. Ultimately it will promote pedestrian priority and sustainable transport choices for staff, students, and visitors. A large part of the works involve redirection and renewal of existing services and provision for future master plan projects.

To accommodate the structure of the Masterplan the Works will need to be phased. A short synopsis of the phasing is as follows;

• Phase 1  north
  • All hard landscaping works associated with the provision of a link road from the Northern approach road into the new visitor’s car park. This will be essential to maintain access to the north of the campus during the works and will set the template for the whole Masterplan and will act as an enabler for the remainder of the projects.
  • The works to the roundabouts to the south to prepare the approaches to the heart and provision of the road alongside the proposed Parklands Village
• Phase 1 south
  • Provision of a completed road from the North entrance into the HeartZone,
  • New plaza area connecting the refectory and student union building with the Academic Hub area,
  • Sustainable Transport Hub together with new road junctions at the head of Cheswick Link.
• Also included within the first 2 phases are works to upgrade and re-position electricity, gas, water and other utilities passing through the central HeartZone area and beyond such that there is sufficient provision at the correct points across the campus to accommodate future demands created by the development of the Masterplan. This will commonly be known as major service diversions and provides the services infrastructure to enable the Masterplan to proceed. This is a key, and essential, link across the campus.
• Phase 2 
  • Creation of a new visitor’s car park in the current vicinity of car parks 9 and 10 together with a
  • ‘Boulevard’ of hard and soft landscaping. This links the new car park through to the Academic Zone and more importantly the new main entrance to the University.
• Phase 3 
  • The Academic Gardens is a series of hard and soft landscaping areas which will link the new plaza/Sustainable Transport Hub in the west through to the rear of N block in the east whilst at the same time frame any new works to the Academic Hub.
  • Provision of the second route from north to south past the new Academic building and including the bridge link across to level 2