Making our 1960s campus more accessible for our community can require some creative thinking, and a long-held ambition has been to make our Grade II* Listed Library accessible in a way that is more welcoming and direct than the current circuitous route.
To achieve this, a new outdoor platform lift is soon set to be built, following planning consent being granted at the end of September.
The lift will provide a new, step-free link from the lower level of Library Square’s lawns to the Library’s accessible entrance for the first time in the University’s history - making a real difference for staff, students, and visitors with mobility needs.
The lift itself will be an open-air platform-style design, operated by push buttons. It will be located – behind Arts A lecture theatres – and will transport users up to Library Road, where a short path leads to the Library’s accessible entrance.
Enhancing campus connectivity
In addition to improving access to the Library, the lift will create a more direct and inclusive route to the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and Arts buildings - enhancing connectivity across this part of campus.
What happens next?
With planning permission now secured, the University is in the process of appointing a contractor to carry out the installation.
Construction is expected to begin soon. During the works, the external steps between the Arts lecture theatres and Library Road will be temporarily closed - alternative access will be available via paths through Arts A and B – see the campus map for more detail.
In addition to the lift itself, groundworks will be undertaken in the surrounding area to ensure smooth and safe access.