[keithpeter]

UK: Local universities have developed new building syndrome. In some cases a definite enhancement (Birmingham University's new sports centre adds an olympic sized swimming pool and offers community engagement, BCU is moving everything onto one campus as much as possible and financing building by selling land, Aston is upgrading teaching rooms and lab space).

But also some projects not so much clear reason - demolishing functional libraries and replacing them with buildings that have fewer seats &c (although disabled access could have been an issue in one case).

The biggie is large scale speculative development of student residences. That bubble is going to have to burst soon...