Chance to comment on St Andrews University plan to develop former Madras College building

by · The Courier

Major plans to transform the former Madras College site in St Andrews into a flagship university building will be unveiled next week.

St Andrews University hopes to form a new academic college within the historic South Street site.

And once complete, it will house a world-leading business school and the School of International Relations.

The South Street building is architecturally significant. Image: St Andrews University.

With work earmarked to start next year, architects are hosting a public consultation event on November 27 to discuss the project.

It will involve restoration of the listed building, said to be one of the most architecturally-significant in the town.

However, there will also be some new-build development, including landscaping outside.

The public will be able to view the designs, drawn up by world-leading firm WilkinsonEyre who have been involved in projects in London, Sydney and Hong Kong.

Second major development planned by St Andrews University

St Andrews University bought the Madras College site from Fife Council in 2021, when  pupils moved to a purpose-built secondary school at Bell Brae.

It then announced plans to develop a centre of excellence for research and teaching.

At present the business school has various sites across St Andrews, and the South Street development will bring it under one roof.

The proposal is one of two major developments planned by the university.

How the St Andrews University School of Computer Science will look. Image: St Andrews University.

The other involves the creation of a new home for the School of Computer Science at North Haugh.

A new building at the heart of the science and medicine campus will allow researchers to work together on projects related to climate change and dementia.

And if approved, it will replace the existing New Technology Centre.

Chance to comment on Madras South Street plans

Proposal of application notices for both projects have already been submitted to Fife Council.

And a consultation on the North Haugh plan was held earlier this month.

The public event for the South Street development will take place at Lower College Hall in St Salvator’s Quadrangle.

It will run from 3-7pm on November 27.

Members of the project team will be available to discuss the proposals and answer any questions.

A second consultation event will then take place in January.

And a full planning application is expected to be lodged sometime next year.

If approved, work should be complete by 2027.