Answers to frequently asked questions about the project are below.
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When and where will the works take place?
The works will take place on the main site, with construction located in the garden of 11 and 12 Newnham Terrace. A network trench will also be dug from the rear of Newnham Terrace through the gardens to the Old Granary. In the Rayne Building and Newnham Grange insulation will be added and windows will be replaced.
Works are expected to begin in November 2025 and to be completed by the spring of 2027.
What is Phase 2 and when will it happen?
Phase 1, involving the construction of the Pump House, the installation of the underground pipe network and the thermal upgrades to existing buildings is expected to last until early 2027.
Throughout this period a fundraising campaign will be in progress to support Phase 2: the transformational upgrade of facilities in the Hermitage and the Dining Hall.
This will see significant renovation of the Hermitage building including the DarBar, Parlour, Common Room, kitchens and servery, and the construction of a new Garden Room social space under the Dining Hall. This next phase of works is intended to begin in 2028.
Where can I see more details of the plans and what the new Pump House will look like?
A full set of designs and technical drawings can be viewed in the planning application bundle, available to consult here.
Will all the gas boilers be removed as part of this work?
Once the first phase has been completed, the gas boilers which serve the Rayne Building, Newnham Grange and the Hermitage will be maintained but will operate at a significantly reduced level as they will only be used to heat the Hermitage. The boilers will be decommissioned and removed at the start of Phase 2 when renovations to the Hermitage begin.
How much will the carbon emissions reduce by?
The main site represents around 60% of the overall Scope 1 & 2 emissions of the College. Once the whole site is degasified, roughly 250 tonnes per year of carbon will be saved.
How does the water source heat pump work?
Below the water level of the river, the basement of the new Pump House will be permanently flooded. The water will be filtered here, releasing up to 25 litres per second into the heat exchange process. This uses refrigerant-based technology, similar to air and ground source heat pumps, to cool the water by a maximum of three degrees before pumping it through the discharge pipes back into the river by the punt shed.
The heat extracted from the river water will then be used to warm the heating and hot water systems up to around 60 degrees before distribution to the buildings.
What will be the effect on the river?
The system has been designed to ensure that it is ecologically friendly. The impact on the river’s biodiversity by cooling 25 litres of water per second by three degrees has been shown to be negligible.
The Pump House basement will contain advanced filtration systems including a revolving fish and eel screen to ensure that there is no negative impact on the river’s wildlife.
What will the impact be on those living on site?
Phase 1 is expected to have the most impact on the residents of 11 and 12 Newnham Terrace. The basement bedrooms in these two buildings will not be in use during the works, as the College has concluded that disruption to the residents would be too great.
A bedroom at the front of each of these properties will be converted into a study to allow residents to avoid construction noise and work quietly during the day.
The gardens to the rear of all of the Newnham Terrace properties will, for the most part, be inaccessible due to the construction compound. Working closely with the student gardeners, the College has developed a new area in the Bradfield Court offering an alternative space to plant fruit and vegetables. This will remain in place throughout the construction period.
The area under the Dining Hall will have limited access during construction deliveries, but will otherwise remain in use for bike parking and deliveries to the Bar and Catering department.
Residents of the Rayne Building and Newnham Grange will experience disruption at various stages of Phase 1, as windows will be replaced and wall and loft insulation installed while the accommodation is fully occupied. The College is confident of its ability to limit disruption to residents, having successfully managed a similar project in Gwen Raverat House during 2024/25 with students remaining in residence throughout.
How will College activities be affected?
During Phase 1, all other aspects of College life are expected to continue as normal.
Will there still be a Freshers’ Week, May Ball and Graduations?
The construction programme will take account of major College events including the Ball, Freshers and Graduations. The works are not expected to have any significant impact on these occasions, which are recognised as important aspects of the Darwin experience.
What is being done to protect the gardens during these works?
The College is working extensively with the Darwin gardener, tree consultants, ecology experts and the City Council ecology team to ensure that the gardens and trees are protected during the works. As a condition of the planning approval, which requires that there be a net gain in biodiversity as a result of the project, the College will plant around 33 new trees across its estate and will fully restore any areas of garden or lawn affected by the works.
Will there still be bike parking under the Dining Hall?
The bike parking will be relocated, but will remain under the Dining Hall and should not be reduced as a result of the building works.
Will there be any changes to emergency procedures?
Fire consultants have worked with the architects and contractors to ensure that safety and evacuations strategies have been considered throughout the planning stage.
Fire evacuation routes will be created along the gardens to ensure that emergency exit routes from both the front and rear of the Newnham Terrace houses are maintained at all times.
Will we still be able to use the punts and kayaks?
Any works to the river wall close to the punt shed are expected be scheduled during the winter, when use of the vessels is at its lowest and the punts are off the water. It is likely that the punt shed will be inaccessible for several weeks during this period.
How long will the construction work take?
Phase 1 is expected to take around 18 months to complete.
