St Catherine’s College is seeking permission to keep a temporary lecture theatre in place for an additional year while major repair work continues on buildings affected by unsafe concrete.

The Oxford college began restricting access to several parts of its campus in 2023 after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, commonly known as Raac, was discovered in multiple roofs across the site.

The material was found in areas including the kitchen, dining hall, administration building, Wolfson Library, and upper floors of the college’s original accommodation blocks.

The affected buildings date back to the 1960s and form part of the Grade I listed college campus designed by renowned Danish architect Arne Jacobsen.

Raac has become a major concern across the United Kingdom in recent years because the lightweight concrete material can weaken over time, creating potential structural safety risks.

According to agents representing the college, significant progress has already been made on the replacement and restoration work. Several key facilities, including parts of the administration building, student social spaces, kitchen, and dining hall, have already reopened for use following partial completion of repairs.

The temporary lecture theatre marquee was originally approved in April 2024 for a two-year period to help maintain teaching operations while construction work took place elsewhere on campus.

However, ongoing roof replacement work at the Bernard Sunley Building — which contains a major lecture theatre — has led the college to request an extension so the temporary structure can remain operational for another year.

The planning application is currently awaiting a decision from Oxford City Council.

College officials say the extension would help ensure minimal disruption to academic activities while the final stages of the critical restoration and safety upgrades are completed.