 In all, £42M was raised from public and philanthropic sources.Planning approval was confirmed on 12 September 2005, and work on site commenced in October 2005.The Forum is the first phase of the "Potterrow Project", the redevelopment of a site, bordered by Potterrow, Crichton Street, Charles Street and Marshall Street, that was cleared for redevelopment by the University in 1963, and has been used as a car park ever since.