The Sidgwick Site provides home to many of the faculties and departments within the two Schools (Arts and Humanities, and Humanities and Social Sciences) that occupy the Sidgwick site.

In 2015, the University approached Allies and Morrison Architects (A&M) to reappraise their original masterplan proposals and accommodate any new requirements in an updated masterplan. Their original masterplan was prepared in 2000 and while many themes identified then still remain relevant, user needs have evolved, the context has changed on matters such as sustainability and travel and new opportunities have emerged. A&M worked in conjunction with J&L Gibbons to explore opportunities for improving the public realm and BuroHappold Engineering to identify ways of improving the sustainability of the site.

The primary purpose of the updated masterplan is to provide a framework in which to allow the University and Schools on the Sidgwick site to make strategic decisions about its Estate and the associated public realm and infrastructure over a 20-year period. The review was guided by the following objectives: