Papers of James Meenan – Move of UCD to Belfield

52 U.C.D. and the Future

It also assumes that the Government is unwilling to extend the lease to the College of Science Buildings in Merrion Street.

The ultimate result of this scheme would be to site the faculties in three contiguous groups as follows:

1. Engineering (with the Department of Geology) and Architecture--between the Canal and Adelaide Road.

2. Science--between Adelaide Road and Hatch Street.

3. All the remainder--on the Terrace/Gardens site.

The sites that we regard as being available without undue difficulty in these areas (as explained in Section V) extend to 4.5, 4.3 and 13 acres respectively, without the including the existing roadways. In each case the site for the faculties mentioned is more than sufficient for present needs and the 20% expansion for which the Commission has estimated.

1. Plan

Dublin Corporation as the appropriate planning authority should be requested to use its powers under the appropriate acts to reserve areas in the vicinity for future university use.

II. Retain and Regroup

1. Retain, at least for the time being, the Science Buildings in Upper Merrion Street.

2. (a) Evacuate the Engineering faculty and the department of Geology to a new site (see below).

(b) Request the Government to evacuate both the Seed Testing Laboratories of the Department of Agriculture and the State Laboratory from the Science Buildings. The former would be more happily accommodated at any of the agricultural stations of the Department or of An Foras Taluntais, whilst the latter might be sited at Glasnevin in conjunction with the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards.

The space thus set free in Merrion Street would enable the remaining Science departments, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology to meet their present needs and still leave them some room for expansion. It would be a long time before overcrowding again became so bad as to force the removal of a further Science department.

It might be argued that such a redistribution of space in the Science Buildings would be wasteful, if in the long run Merrion Street had to be completely evacuated. This need not be so. Modern methods of building laboratory furniture and fittings in 'units' render such equipment flexible and readily transportable to another place.

3. Evacuate the administration from the Earlsfort Terrace block, thus providing immediately some more teaching space. Rehouse the administration in such property as could be acquired anywhere in the general area. This separation of administration need be only a temporary measure, for as indicated under 'Build' below there is sufficient space available to enable the administration to be included in new building.

Suggestions Towards a Solution 53

III. Purchase

1. The Harcourt Street Station site (4.3 acres).

2. 'The Lawn,' also the C.I.E. property south of Adelaide Road and as much of the adjoining areas as could be obtained with or without compulsory purchase. The total area that is most readily available in this block amouts to 4.5 acres (see Section V)).

3. Any other property in this general area as it becomes available. The site now belonging to Comhlucht Siuicre Eireann Teo, mentioned earlier should be considered.

Immediate action would be necessary in the case of all these properties.

IV. Build

From the point of view of the relief of overcrowding, immediate acion under this heading is also imperative.

1. Buildings for the faculty of Engineering (together with Geology) and the faculty of Architecture could be erected in the area between the Canal and Adelaide Road. It is important to realise that the erection of buildings here need not necessarily await the acquisition of the whole 4.5 acres mentioned in Section V,-- 'The Lawn' and the adjoining field are open ground on which operations might commence immediately. Provision would have to be made elsewhere for the needs of the Dental Hospital which has but lately acquired 'The Lawn'.

Long term expansion on this site would proceed by gradual acquisition of neighbouring property as it comes on the market. The total area that might eventually be acquired in this block, bounded by Adelaide Road, Harcourt Terrace, Charlemont Place and Charlemont Street, is 13.3 acres.

Those who would object to the erection of new university buildings behind the back gardens of existing houses would do well to remember that the College of Science was erected on just such a site, and operated for many years before the Georgian terrace in Merrion Street was eventually demolished to make way for the wings of the block, which now house Government offices.

2. In this 'sample scheme' the Station site would be reserved for a later phase and would eveentually provide a site for new Science buildings. Meanwhile the departments of Chemistry, Botany and Zoology would share the whole of the present Science Buildings, including the space at present occupied by the Engineering faculty, the Seed Testing Laboratory, and the State Laboratory. Geology we have sited with the Engineering faculty. Physics could either be allowed to expand on the Terrace/Gardens site, or in new premises erected on the Station site as the first of the new Science buildings.

Long term expansion from this site would first proceed by the gradual acquisition of the remaining property in the block. The total area bounded by Harcourt Street, Upper Hatch Street, Earlsfort Terrace, and Adelaide Road is 6.9 acres. More distant expansion, if ever necessary, might extend across Earlsfort Terrace and down Hatch Street.