Cost Put At £2m Over 5 Years

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31016, 23 March 1966, Page 6

Cost Put At £2m Over 5 Years

Although the building and development programme for the next five years at Lincoln College will cost more than £2 million it was not expected that the Government would be called on for grants to meet the purchase of land or property, the Principal (Dr. M. M. Burns) said in a report to a meeting of the college council yesterday.

In a summary supplied by Dr. Burns of the 1966-71 development programme estimates total £2,175,000. This does not include the reorganisation of the sewerage reticulation and an increase in the capacity of the main sewer, for which no estimate is possible as yet. The college had sold 180 acres of land in Lincoln to the Government for the D.S.I.R. and the Department of Agriculture. All the college’s endowment land on the Kirkliston range near Kurow

was sold, most of it to the Lands and Survey Department, and 27 acres was sold to the Paparua County Council for a recreation area. Proceeds from these sales were invested in purchasing the leasehold of a hill country property of 2200 acres in North Canterbury for development and experimental purposes, and a total of 415 acres around the college. The college holdings around the campus now amounted to 1624 acres which would ensure there was adequate land for long-term development, said Dr. Burns. It was intended to increase the area to 2000 acres as the opportunity afforded.

Until recently much of the college teaching, research, and residential accommodation was in close proximity to centralised farming facilities, said Dr. Burns. The college was using its own resources to move farming activities from the central campus area and develop headquarters for each farm unit. Unless grants were made to assist in this work decentralisation would take five to 10 years to finish. The present policy of the council was to move all farming and field horticultural activities from the central area of 130 acres which was considered sufficient for the immediate to long-term development of the college, including full university status when justified. Present Buildings The majority of the present buildings in the central area should be demolished as soon a s they could be vacated, said Dr. Burns. Recent inspections by the Ministry of Works indicated that the workshops for technical engineering instruction, the laboratory block and the original brick building of Ivey Hall, had a limited life and they did not meet earthquake and fire risk requirements.

The central boiler house built in 1955, was too small and expansion was limited by space. It would need to be moved within 10 years but in the meantime new boilers which would double the output of steam would be installed.

Progress on stage I of the teaching block was satisfactory and it was expected to be finished by the contract date of July next year, said Dr. Burns. The contract price for the 100,000 sq ft building was £651,000. An equipment grant of £51,000 had been approved.

Preparation of working drawings and drafting of specifications for a residential hall for 72 students were practically complete but the site of the hall was yet to

be chosen. Approval to go to tender was hoped for within the next three months. The hall was estimated to' cost £llO.OOO and approval to build a second identical hall concurrently with the first would be sought. Library Extension*

The George Forbes Memorial Library of 6400 sq ft was planned to cater for a much smaller number of students than was currently enrolled, said Dr. Burns. Major extensions were required urgently as places for 80 readers and space for 25,000 volumes were not enough. Additional space of 13000 sq ft for 330 readers and 65,000 volumes was estimated to cost £120,000, plus £lO,OOO for equipment. Administration offices were at present housed in Ivey Hall which also accommodates 92 resident students. A new administration block of 15,000 sq ft costing £90,000 had been allowed for.

Motel-type, single room accommodation in one or two storeys for 20 students would be tried to assess the suitability and cost for students. It was estimated to cost £25,000. Stage II of the teaching block involving 45,000 sq ft was estimated to cost £300,000, with £30,000 for equipment. It would accommodate soil science, wool science, and horticulture. Planning was in the initial stages and the building would be required by 1970. The Students’ Union complex would be built in two stages. The first stage would consist of a sports centre, including a gymnasium, and was estimated to cost £60.000. Stage 11, required by 19“0. •vouid be the W. H. Gillespie Memorial Hall estimated to cr.st £50,000. A new building for the agricultural engineering workshops was required at an estimated cost of £50,000 and extensions to the engineer* ig teaching block were expected to << si £70,000. Two more residential halls were estimated to ccst £220,000. pius equipment at £30,000. It was also proposed to erect off-campus accommodation for up to 20 single male members of the staff at a cost of £25,000.

The reorganisation of the heating and electrical services was expected to coat about £63,500, said Dr. Burns. General services such as reading, kerbing, channeling and paricing areas were expected to cost another £20,000. No estimate could be given for the cost of duplicating the main sewer line because this would almost certainly lead to a major programme of re organisation and extension, said Dr. Burns.