St Andrews Radio

The initial plans for a refurbished Students’ Association were announced today.

The project will have a budget of up to £12 million and include a new café, nightclub, and entrance.

In addition, a piazza and outdoor seating will be built where the car-park currently sits. Artist renderings show major changes to the exterior of the building as well, with the front coated in glass.

Venue 1 will be split to house a 600-person capacity nightclub and separate 400-person performance space. Seated capacity of the performance space would be around 140.

Student services and the travel services will be relocated elsewhere, and the first floor will include society space, a print suite, and the STAR studio.

The top floor will include a 'sky bar', located where Venue 2 currently is, as well as additional society and rehearsal space. Overall, bookable society rooms will increase by 40%.

Association President Patrick O’Hare said the plans will fix many complaints about the current building.

“Investment in the Students’ Association building is long overdue, and I’m convinced that the design we have addresses many of the long-term gaps in provision of the Student Experience. The Students’ Association is delighted about the continued support that University Court has shown for this project.”

Detailed plans of the re-design will be installed in the current Union foyer and available to the public in advance of a planning application.

Funding for the project, however, has not yet been approved by the University Court. Funds will be split between a University contribution and fundraising.

A University spokesman told STAR News that while there is a shared goal to renovate the Union building, the current financial climate requires a cautious outlook.

“There is a strong and shared desire and commitment to see this project fulfilled but an equally strong desire to ensure that students are not misled or their expectations unfairly raised.”

“All major building projects such as this are subject to the final approval of Court. That very important fact was largely ignored by media when we talked about our ambitions for Library redevelopment, and as a result many people felt misled.”

Still, University officials are optimistic about the project.

University Proctor Lorna Milne said, “The University has to be extremely careful about the way it spends and commits money in this challenging and volatile economic climate, but the Union has long been a priority for us and moving to the detailed design stage is a firm indication of our commitment to this very important project.”

Should the build be approved, work would begin in the Summer of 2013, starting with the ground floor.

Elements of the project could include:

• An attractive piazza and new entrance which could transform the current car-park area.

• A new street-facing café, run for students, by students.

• New venues, with the current Venue One split into two distinct spaces: a 420 person capacity flexible performance space and a 600 person capacity nightclub, with a lounge area for an additional 270 persons. The lack of a ‘real nightclub’ in St Andrews could thus be remedied, and the ‘jack-of-all trades’ Venue One may be transformed into a more bespoke space for theatre, concerts, comedy and more.

• A dramatic expansion and improvement in terms of society space on the middle and top floor of the Union. Overall, society space could increase from 8 rooms to 14, with an overall increase of 40% in square meters. This may include a design suite, radio broadcasting facility and film editing suite and will be achieved by the relocation of Travel and Student services away from the building.

• On the top floor, two large flexible rooms could be introduced, both suitable for rehearsals and one soundproofed especially for musicians.

• There could be the introduction of long lacking student facilities such as a kitchen and an artist’s workshop.

• The current Venue 2 could be revamped into a sky bar serving wine and cocktails, and aimed especially at postgraduate students. An acoustic/ sports bar located on the ground floor might replace the current ‘live venue’ functions of Venue 2.

• The current Main Bar could be broken up into smaller areas, each with their own identity.

• A greener, more sustainable building, aiming for the same standards achieved by recent University new builds.