The official student newspaper of the University of East Anglia | Established 1992 | Issue 395 | 19th September 2023
UEA's 60th Anniversary
pg. 8-9
Interview with UEA's ViceChancellor
pg. 12-13
Venue: What we know so far about Our Flag Means Death
pg. 18
RAAC discovery forces students out of UEA accommodation Molly Warner
News Editor
The University of East Anglia sent out an all-student email from Ian Callaghan, Chief Resource Officer and University Secretary, on the 8th of September 2023, declaring that “In response to new government guidance on RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete), some UEA student accommodation will be closed as a precautionary measure, whilst further investigations are carried out”. He explained that “Norfolk and Suffolk Terrace (the Ziggurats) will be closed, as well as the top floors of Nelson Court and Constable Terrace. We do not believe that any other UEA residential or nonresidential buildings are affected. “Visitor accommodation in Broadview Lodge is also being closed for further investigations.”
Photo: Samuel Baxter
All affected students havePhoto: Concrete- Samuel Baxter been allocated alternative accommodation. Just under 600 within public sector buildings in students have been provided with the UK from the mid-1960s to the rooms elsewhere on campus, 1990s. UK governments have been while the remaining 170 will live aware of some of the vulnerabilities in St Crispin’s House on Duke of RAAC since the 1990s. A safety Street, Norwich. Students in St alert was published in May 2019 Crispin’s will be offered a free bus by the Standing Committee on pass or a voucher to purchase a Structural Safety (SCOSS) following bicycle. All the rooms are either of the sudden failure of a flat roof in a equivalent or better quality than school that was made from RAAC. the original accommodation and have been provided at no extra cost. The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, announced the dangers of buildings Students with accessibility that had been constructed utilising and mobility issues have been RAAC just before the summer prioritised to stay on-campus holidays were due to finish, and and flat share groups have been ordered that school buildings built kept together where possible. with this form of concrete should be shut and replaced immediately. RAAC is a lightweight form of precast concrete, frequently used He said that the example that has
now been set by schools would not necessarily have to be followed by other types of public building, including prisons and hospitals. “Departments individually will follow that advice as it relates to their particular estate,” he said. “It is very specific to the circumstances of individual buildings and how in particular they can be monitored and assessed. For example, the NHS has been looking at this for years, and has a mitigation programme in place which is funded with £700m already.” In conversation with Concrete about UEA’s situation, the Vice Chancellor, Professor David Maguire, answered questions on how the process of relocating students will work, and what we can expect from the coming months:
“We’ve done a preliminary survey of the buildings on campus and we believe that there is RAAC in three of the buildings; the Ziggurats, Nelson Court, and Constable Terrace. So, as a precautionary measure, we’ve closed all of those to students and staff, pending further detailed investigation. “I suspect, because of the construction method of the Ziggurats, that’s likely to be a longterm challenge for us to resolve. “Obviously, the safety of students and staff is completely paramount and will override all of the considerations in this, and we will not be doing anything that will increase the risk for anybody.
“We have agreed that (the relocation of students) will not materially affect students financially in terms of their ability to be successful academically. So, when they’re rehoused we will honour the agreed prices that they were due to pay. “I hope that it all works out and that students will forgive the unfortunate circumstances, but we’re going to do our very best to take care of them. When asked if Professor Maguire was confident that there is no other RAAC present within the teaching buildings, he answered “Yes, thankfully”.
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