Development plans for the New Museums Site show possibilities of radical changes in the landscape of both the University of Cambridge and the city itself.

One of the University’s key campuses, the New Museums Site, is set to undergo serious reconstruction as the departments move to West Cambridge. The building is currently home to the University Computing Services, Babbage Lecture Theatre and The Department of Material Sciences and Metallurgy.

The site is home to a diverse mixture of architectural styles, ranging from Victorian to Modernist. The Arup building, a representative of the Brutalist architectural style, will be the first to see changes if the development plans are approved.

Proposed renovations include an option of demolishing the academic buildings and replacing them with a building complex that caters for both university students and city residents with shops, cafés, flats and offices. Plans submitted to the City Council also show ideas for the construction of a foyer linking to the Museum of Zoology, external lifts and stairs for easier access to the raised ‘podium’ of Arup from Pembroke Street and Corn Exchange Street.

A university spokesperson speaking to Cambridge News said “plans are under way for major redevelopment of the site to provide facilities for town and gown for the 21st century.”

As the Arup building undergoes reconstruction, among its new residents will be the Cambridge Conservation Initiative (CCI), a partnership that aims to provide “research-driven, innovative and practical solutions for […] conservation.”, according to Sir David Attenborough, who attended the launch of the centre in April The campus at the New Museums Site will provide ample space for a Cambridge University conservation research institute as well as offices for other conservation organisations.

The proposals for a £59 million redevelopment on the site have been submitted to the Cambridge City Council for the first phase, and outline proposals for the rest of the site will be available later in 2013. The changes taking place on the New Museums Site will therefore likely not affect most current undergraduates.

Cambridge residents can be reassured regarding the conservation of important city landmarks, with the application to the city council stating that:  “The intention is to retain the buildings around the perimeter of the site, many of which are included on the list of buildings of special architectural and historical interest and make a significant contribution to the quality of the city centre conservation area.”