On Tuesday 11 June, Cambridge City Council’s Planning Committee voted unanimously to approve Pembroke’s detailed plans for the redevelopment of the Mill Lane site.
Planning and Listed Building Consent have been granted for a new accommodation court, to be named Ray and Dagmar Dolby Court, as well as the restoration of a number of historically significant buildings facing the existing College. New facilities on the site will include an auditorium with over 200 seats, new teaching spaces, an exhibition gallery, a magnificent meeting space, a Partnership Centre, and a new café-bar.
Ray and Dagmar Dolby Court will provide nearly 100 new high-quality study bedrooms, set around a beautiful courtyard. It will be built where the Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, the Bailey, Grundy, Barrett Building and Miller’s Yard currently stand, and will accommodate both graduate students and undergraduates.
Stuart House will be renovated to provide a handsome new social hub at the centre of College life, with a ground floor café, common rooms, and a Partnership Centre on the first floor.
Meanwhile, the Emmanuel United Reform Church will become a new lecture and performance auditorium for the College, with an adjoining foyer which will be a versatile venue for events.
The Mill Lane redevelopment will build upon the rich and varied architectural legacy of the area, creating new open spaces that enhance the setting of existing buildings, while continuing and extending the language of Pembroke’s distinctive gardens.
There will be a new crossing over Trumpington Street, linking the medieval College to the new site. A Road Safety Audit will be carried out before a decision is made as to the exact type of crossing.
This is the most important development for Pembroke since our foundation in 1347. It will enlarge our footprint in the heart of Cambridge by a third, and transform the experience of undergraduates, graduates and Fellows who will take their places in the Pembroke community in years to come. The granting of planning permission is a key milestone in making our vision for Mill Lane a reality.