An exhibition about the proposals will be staged at the building from Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 April. The exhibition will also be available online at www.bristol.ac.uk/estates/queens-road-building.
The Queen’s Road Building currently houses the Students’ Union and other University facilities, many of which are used by the public, including a swimming pool, the Winston Theatre and the Anson Rooms.
The building is currently in poor condition, but the University has decided to retain and re-use rather than demolish and rebuild it. Patrick Finch, director of estates, said: “This is a more sustainable approach. The building accommodates a range of facilities and spaces that we could not easily re-provide elsewhere. Overall we feel that with the extensive refurbishment proposed, the building will once again meet the needs of the University and its students, as it has since its opening in the mid-1960s.”
The main objectives of the project are to put the building back into good repair and make it more sustainable and fit for the future. Work will include remodelling the interiors, improving access and enhancing its external appearance and setting. In addition, the proposals will focus on improving facilities for students and enhancing aspects of the building that also serve the community, such as the swimming pool.
The University is sharing the early concept proposals with staff, students and the local community and inviting feedback to help shape a more detailed scheme. This will be the subject of a second round of public consultation in early June, with a view to submitting a planning application later in the summer.
There will be a public exhibition from Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 April in the foyer of the Queen’s Road Building. The exhibition will be open from 9 am to 10 pm from Wednesday to Saturday and from 2 pm to 10 pm on Sunday.
There will also be an opportunity to meet some of the people behind the proposals between 5 pm and 7 pm on Thursday 22 April and from 12 noon to 2 pm on Saturday 24 April. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to discuss any queries they have and talk face-to-face with representatives from the University and the project team.