The University of Birmingham has spent more than £282,000 refurbishing the vice chancellor’s rent-free house.

Details of the expensive refurbishment can be revealed just a few months after Professor David Eastwood was listed as one of the highest paid vice chancellors in the country.

His 2010 pay rise took his salary, including pension contributions, up 11 per cent to £392,000.

The improvements to his grace-and-favour home, in Edgbaston Park Road, included new carpets, curtains, bathroom and the installation of a commercial kitchen.

But the university said the building was also classed as a shared facility that was used by the vice chancellor for university business.

They said the refurbishment of areas apportioned solely to Prof Eastwood amounted to just £15,378.30 of the £282,760.86 that has been spent in the last three years.

Last year the Post revealed the huge salaries and perks of the Midlands’ globe-trotting vice chancellors.

It was revealed that Aston University and Warwick also provides its vice chancellors with university-owned accommodation and that Prof Eastwood has his own chauffeur, gardener and cleaner.

The University of Birmingham said Prof Eastwood was provided with the accommodation as a requirement of the performance of his office.

It added: “Part of the building is provided for the vice chancellor’s sole occupation.

“In addition, a part is employed mainly for general university purposes but the vice chancellor has access to it as a shared facility.

“The refurbishment to the vice chancellors sole use accommodation amounts to £15,378.30. The cost of the refurbishment, decoration and improvements to the remainder of the house amounts to £267,382.56.”

“The figures relate to replacing carpets, curtains and other furnishings, interior redecoration, bathroom refurbishment, professional fees and the installation of a commercial kitchen.

The kitchen was requested by the university’s head of catering to enable it to be used for university-hosted events.