Frequently asked questions

All construction projects inevitably create some disturbance to neighbours and CBR will be no exception. However, the Estates Division is aiming to limit the impact of the project on the School and neighbours as much as possibly practicable.

The CBR development is located in an urban area near main roads, in accordance with British Standards guidance, the LSE’s acoustic consultant has used a maximum target limit of 75dB at the façade of the neighbouring buildings.

All the neighbouring buildings where they have an elevation facing the CBR site have been surveyed to gauge the potential noise impact of CBR. If the technical assessment identified a potential impact over the target then a possible noise problem could arise. An acoustic study then identified where noise mitigation measures would be beneficial to LSE occupied buildings.

Estates are investigating providing mobile air conditioning units to deal with those brief periods during the summer when temperatures may reach a point where it would be necessary to open windows to maintain a reasonable temperature but it won’t be possible to do so without causing a noise problem. The proposal is to organise a supply of units readily available as and when temperatures are predicted to rise above a certain level. Those buildings nearest to the demolition will have priority.  This is being explored and is yet to be costed and presented to Senior Managers in the School for approval. 

The type of window will make a great deal of difference to the impact of noise (assuming it is kept shut). This is why we have surveyed all windows in all rooms which might be affected by the CBR works.

Estimates of noise reductions for different types of windows are as follows:

The School has now agreed the extent of secondary glazing to the buildings adjacent to the CBR site. This is to be installed during Spring 2015.

Some of these buildings already benefit from secondary glazing and if this is the case, no further noise mitigation measures will be provided as the necessary mitigation is already in place. 

In some rooms the existing secondary glazing may require adjustment to make sure it’s fully effective. The contractors appointed by the LSE to carry out installation will also attend to defective secondary glazing.

See map and table below:

The School’s contractors will be required to limit dust as far as practicable. The existing buildings will be fully scaffolded and the scaffolding will be covered in a material designed to assist with dust suppression. The contractors will clean roads during the works. We will be looking at other dust suppression issues

Demolition is expected to take approximately 9 months from July 2015 to March 2016, see timetable. It will involve several stages, these are summarised in the video showing the sequence from hoarding off the site in 2015 to leaving it ready for new construction in 2016. 

All construction projects are by their nature disruptive but we aim to limit the impact on the School as much as possible. 

We will:

• Ensure there are quiet periods as per Westminster City Council (WCC) guidelines (usually10am -12pm; and 2-4pm)
• Negotiate with WCC on when we can work which may be starting earlier and/or finishing later in the weekday and on Saturdays. This requires WCC approval
• Ensure contractors use the School’s quieter periods (vacations) for their most disruptive activities
• Specify the type of machines and equipment so it has less of an impact
• Require use of demolition machines which hydraulically ‘nibble’ away at the building fabric instead of impact tools which cause more noise
• Install secondary glazing to those adjacent buildings impacted by the works
• Install acoustic ‘quilts’ on party walls to St Clements to provide insulation from noise and the weather
• Provide attractive and acoustic screening of the site in Houghton Street and Clare Market

Contractors will be required to limit their works during certain key dates and periods. No noisy works will be carried out on graduation days but works will continue during Summer School and during term time. During other key dates the contractors are required to respect sensitive working practices which means:

• Vehicle movements in and around campus may be restricted.
• The contractor must at all times employ Best Practicable Means as defined by Section 72 of the Control of Pollution Act 1972 to minimise the effects of noise and vibration, but any activities generating extremes of noise, vibration and dust to be ceased.
• No works outside the demise of the CBR construction site.
• No works to be undertaken that have potential to disrupt key services (power, data, water, gas)

Yes. The map illustrates the changes.

It is vital that we create a secure and safe site for the works and this means no access for pedestrians into any part of the construction site. The changes are expected to start in June 2015 when hoardings will go up round the site in advance of demolition starting. Specific dates will be subject to discussion with the demolition contractor when they are appointed. There will be other works which will impact on pedestrian routes before the roads are closed and we will update the web site once these are known. 

Houghton Street will be closed just beyond the Old Building main entrance. All entrances to the Old Building and to Columbia House remain unaffected.

Clare Market will be closed before the main entrance to St Clements. Access to Student Services in the Old Building remains unaffected. 

Clements Inn Passage will be closed from the Anchorage with no access through to Clare Market or to Houghton Street. 

The maps show how these closures will affect you.

The route to and from the Towers and Grange Court via the steps and lift will remain open but Grange Court will be narrow as we have to erect protective hoarding around St Clements. There may be times when this route is shut during intensive demolition for health and safety reasons. 

St Clements Lane will remain open for pedestrians but the stretch behind the part of St Clements due to be demolished will be narrow as we have to erect protective hoarding around the site.

All entrances to the Old Building will remain open. The internal routes through the Old Building from Clare Market to the main entrance on Houghton Street will remain open but might become busy at peak times. We will be undertaking some internal alterations to minimise potential congestion in the Old Building.

All other pedestrian routes remain open. We have analysed the impact of the changes to pedestrian journeys and it is estimated that no journey will be longer by more than one minute compared with existing routes.

The maps show how these closures will affect you

See the map showing proposed construction vehicle routes. All construction traffic arrangements will be agreed with Westminster City Council. Our current proposals are to use Kingsway, with vehicles turning left into Portugal Street beside the Peacock Theatre and driving into Clare Market. They will exit the site from Clare Market, turn right into Portugal Street beside St Clements and then either use Carey Street or Lincolns Inn Fields as exits. No vehicles will reverse which is both a dangerous and noisy operation. 

The hatched area on the pedestrian map shows the main area on the campus where pedestrian routes and construction vehicles will overlap. We will be ensuring that the contractors take all necessary steps to preserve pedestrian safety and there will be a manned pedestrian crossing at the top of Clare Market. We will be encouraging staff and students to avoid this part of campus if at all possible; Kingsway and the Aldwych will remain safe and uncongested routes. 

Consultation will occur throughout the life of the project and will continue even after the building is occupied. 

Consultation groups have been established to ensure the design responds to users’ particular needs. Each group includes a representative from the Students’ Union as well as staff with experience in planning, delivering or receiving the service in question.

Equality and diversity issues are considered in each group and separate briefings with equality and diversity groups across the School are underway. 

On going input from a number of LSE service departments is vital to the success of the project including IMT, Security, Audio–Visual, Facilities Management and Maintenance. 

It is currently proposed that the new building will accommodate the following services and facilities:

• Teaching & learning spaces of various sizes on the lower ground, first and second floors
• A new catering facility on the ground floor (with the subsequent closure of the 4^th floor restaurant in the Old Building) 
• Academic departments on floors 3 to 11

The building comprises a 13 storey building overlooking a new public square in the heart of the campus with an adjoining 6 storey building facing onto Houghton Street. See detailed design images. 

The CBR includes a new landscaped square at the heart of the campus. This will link Houghton Street with the John Watkins Plaza and the Library. It will provide space for student activities, both formal and informal. 

In addition, the new building contains several external terraces including a large south facing terrace at the second floor which will be accessible to students and a large terrace overlooking Houghton Street at the sixth floor serving the academic departments. 

See detailed design images.

All stalls and events will need to find other suitable locations on the campus such as John Watkins Plaza or Sheffield Street. It will not be possible to use Houghton Street.  Estates Division are working closely with the SU, between us we will keep you informed of necessary changes.

Wrights Bar, together with Nat West Bank and The Garrick remain open and completely accessible via the end of Houghton Street nearest the Aldwych. Waterstones Bookshop in Clare Market also remains open. 

Along with all the other current occupants in the Centre Buildings the SU Shop will be moved out to a new location on campus. The Shop is being relocated to Lincoln’s Inn Chambers. 

The section of Clare Market outside Waterstones will remain open but has to be widened to allow construction traffic through while still retaining safe access for pedestrians into the Old Building. 

These changes mean the steps outside the Old Building will have to be removed, together with the Baby Tembo sculpture. The Penguin outside Waterstones Bookshop will also have to be moved as the pedestrian path will be narrow at this point. 

Both sculptures can be replaced in their original locations once the new Centre Building is finished but this may not be until 2019!   We are working with the Students Union to find suitable temporary locations for the animals.  

Lectures will not be affected but staff and students should make sure they allow sufficient time to travel between buildings and respect the changeover period between lectures. It should not take more than one minute longer than now to move between buildings.

All lectures in buildings affected by the works will be relocated. New replacement teaching rooms are being provided such as the conversion of Parish Hall. Once the new CBR building is finished there will be far more teaching spaces compared to those currently in the existing buildings. 

We are still planning the internal detailed layout of the building and, as ever, there are competing demands for space. However, we are aiming to include formal study spaces for students within the academic departments as well as informal spaces elsewhere in the building.