Plans for a £13 million extension to the University’s engineering department, which will see a five storey addition to the Baker Building in Fen Causeway, were approved last week.

Planning permission was received to build on a portion of the Royal Cambridge Hotel’s car park. The University stated that the extension will permit the development of research projects, and resolve existing problems caused by a lack of space.

“The extension to the Department of Engineering is aimed at providing more office space, particularly for post-graduate students and post-docs,” said Professor Dame Ann Dowling, head of the Department of Engineering. “The new building will provide office space for about 240 students and post-docs and about 20 academics and research group administrators.”

Students have commented that they have not yet heard any news from the department about the planned extension. Lizzie O’Leary, a first-year engineer at Selwyn College, remarked: “£13 million seems huge but the whole department is a little outdated, from a mix of oldish technology to the fact that the buildings themselves aren’t that nice. Having said that, some of the old pieces of equipment that are used really don’t need to be replaced, either because they’ve stopped being made or because they function perfectly well.”

She added: “However, in a fast growing industry like engineering, it’s always important to have the most up-to-date facilities possible so in that respect I can’t see it as a bad thing.”