Make Teviot Expansion Project More Transparent

This petition had 36 supporters

The Issue

In 2017, the University of Edinburgh proposed to expand​ Teviot Row House, the oldest purpose-built student union building in the world. (Relevant documents can be found here.) However, there has been no public updates on the project since 2017, when The Scotsman reported that the Teviot Expansion Project (TEP) had been dropped after a public outcry. However, recently there have been rumours circulating around that the University intends to reopen the project. Indeed, the words 'There is a reserved minute relating to commercially sensitive and confidential elements of the Teviot redevelopment' in the Trustee Board Minutes of the Edinburgh University Student's Association trustee board meeting on 25/09/19, section 13.2 on page 6.

Whilst we are not entirely opposed to the expansion project itself, we found the lack of transparency appalling and possibly conspiratorial. Rumours have it that the University plans to close Teviot for three years, as well as destroying Potterow and the underpass. Whilst we don't know if it's accurate, Teviot is a building that we all love and utilise in our routines, and the possibility of such a disruption to our student experience for the remainder of our degrees is being decided upon without our input, or even knowledge is unacceptable.

Our dear friend Anna Jelbert also pointed out the impact closing Teviot has on societies. 'Committees are already struggling to find rooms, and EUSA taking away the ones they can provide for free with no warning and no back up plan is going to be a killing blow to many different societies.'

We firmly request that the University be completely transparent in regards to the Teviot Expansion Project.

  1. Release the exact date of each phase of the project as well as the possible disruption it might cause, so to clarify and potential misunderstandings and that students can have a voice in significant changes which are being done to the campus.
  2. Release the budget of the project and the source of funding, as well as their justifications to why this is more important than the continuation of the Kings Buildings shuttle bus or paying lecturers fairly. This helps the student body at large, but also especially the societies that need these rooms to function. EUSA should set aside funds for possible external room bookings.
  3. Include the student body and the staff in any future decision regarding the TEP.
avatar of the starter
Yixuan LiPetition Starter
Media enquiries

The Decision Makers

Gavin Douglas
Gavin Douglas
Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Edinburgh
Responded
“Dear Yixuan and other signatories We are sorry you feel there has been a lack of transparency around the proposed work to refurbish and extend Teviot Row House to make the oldest purpose built student's union in the world more accessible and fit for the 21st century. We wanted to provide you with an update on this project and we hope it is helpful. Firstly, as you have no doubt noticed, no work has started on this project to date. The last consultation with students was in 2017 and on the back of that consultation, we submitted the plans for planning permission. The planning process for the project has taken longer than anticipated and it was already clear earlier in the year that the works to Teviot Row House would not commence before Autumn 2020. This in turn meant that the earliest we could expect the new Student Association facilities to be fully open would be Autumn 2024 – and until then all Student Association services will remain open in their current locations. Since then we have had the covid19 lockdown and so, regrettably, the project is currently further delayed. The earliest we would now expect to see any work starting at Teviot is academic year 21/22, with opening not before Autumn 2025. Assuming we are indeed able to start work in academic year 21/22, there will inevitably be some disruption. However the works to Teviot Row House have been phased to limit the time that spaces are unavailable at any one time. In the initial phase, there would likely be some disruption to Teviot Row House mainly impacting toilet and back of house areas. Temporary toilet and kitchen facilities may be required and there would be some noise impact in the spaces closest to the core of the building. However the majority of existing student spaces would still be physically accessible. In the second phase, which involves building an extension at the back, much of the existing building will stay open. However there will be some restrictions in spaces to the rear where the new extension will be. In the final phase, the remainder of the existing spaces in Teviot Row House will be refurbished. However by then the new spaces at the rear will already be open and occupied by the Students’ Association, and we do expect there even at that stage to be some access to older parts of the building. You asked about the Potterrow Dome – this will be kept fully operational until the whole Teviot Row House project is complete to limit any reduction in service during the construction works. Gavin Douglas Deputy Secretary (Student Experience) University of Edinburgh”
Edinburgh University Students' Association
Edinburgh University Students' Association

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Petition created on 8 June 2020