Yorkshire and Lincolnshire construction firm, Hobson & Porter, has started work building a new £12 million eagerly anticipated college campus in Skegness. Once complete in 2025, Skegness Learning Campus will offer a diverse range of vocational education courses from the Wainfleet Road site that are tailored to meet the needs
HID® Mobile Access® Offers Students and Staff the Ability to Use Their Smartphones to Gain Touchless Entry Into Buildings HID, the worldwide leader in trusted identity solutions, announces today that the University of Dundee is updating its city campus estate implementing HID® Mobile Access® and signature HID Signo™ readers throughout
Construction of the new Aseptic Pharmacy and Sterile Service Department at University Hospital Southampton has hit a significant milestone. A ‘topping out’ ceremony was held to celebrate the building reaching its highest point, marking a key step forward as the project moves closer to its scheduled opening in Spring 2025.
The steel framework for a new city centre college campus has been completed as part of the council’s transformational Phase Two City Learning Quarter masterplan. Situated around the Old Hall Street and St George’s Parade area, incorporating a site on the corner of Garrick Street and Bilston Street where the
Eric Wright Construction has started the building and fit out of a £22million college building for Seashell Trust in Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, which will deliver specialist education facilities for students aged 16-25. The new building for Royal College Manchester is made up of a reception and specialist classrooms along with
Morgan Sindall has been selected by Blackpool Council as the main contractor on a pre-contract services agreement to build a new £65m state-of-the-art education campus in the town centre. The appointment follows a competitive tendering process through the Pagabo Framework. The Multiversity mixed-use educational development will bring up to 3,000
A primary school and bowls pavilion in a South Wales village have switched to clean, renewable heating, but in an innovative way that cannot be replicated anywhere else in Wales. Ffynnon Taf Primary School and the Pavilion at Taff’s Well Bowling Club in Taff’s Well, Wales, have had a bold
Leading offsite manufacturer McAvoy has recently delivered a new temporary classroom facility at The Bromfords Secondary School in Wickford, which was awarded through the Offsite Construction Solutions framework. It marks the latest in a series of projects aimed at addressing emergency school closures due to the prevalence of Reinforced Autoclaved
Regional sub-contractors are joining forces and providing all their time, labour, and costs for free to offer SENCO enhancement works for the Grace Academy in Coventry – as part of its vision for the future. Led by McLaren Construction’s Midlands and North division and Opus Land, ‘The Big Build’ charitable
Viridis, a consortium of Equitix (infrastructure investor, developer and manager)), GRAHAM (equity and construction) and Derwent FM (facilities management), has been selected as preferred bidder and delivery partner for the redevelopment of the University of Manchester’s Fallowfield Campus redevelopment under a Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) model. This selection
Yorkshire and Lincolnshire construction firm, Hobson & Porter, has started work building a new £12 million eagerly anticipated college campus in Skegness. Once complete in 2025, Skegness Learning Campus will offer a diverse range of vocational education courses from the Wainfleet Road site that are tailored to meet the needs of Skegness and its surrounding communities. The campus is supported by a £14 million government-funded Connected Coast Town Deal and is poised to make a significant impact by providing accessible education opportunities in critical areas such as construction, engineering, hospitality, tourism, and digital skills training. This latest contract win for Hobson & Porter follows the successful completion of a £5.5m technical, engineering and construction facility at York College, which was delivered on time and within budget. Joe Booth from Hobson & Porter said: “The Skegness Learning Campus adds to our growing portfolio of further education projects in recent years, on the back of us delivering successful large-scale projects for both York College and Bishop Burton College at its campuses in both Lincoln and Beverley. “This latest contract win also builds on our expertise in the education sector and as well as building and refurbishing schools and colleges across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, we’re using these opportunities to create a sustainable workforce for the construction industry by educating, developing and upskilling the next generation through our Foundations scheme. “The initiative, which was born after we completed work on a construction hub at Bishop Burton College, helps to enrich career opportunities in the industry, and whilst working on that project and the one at York College, we were able to give students live on-site experience, which is as essential part of their T Level qualifications. We hope to follow a similar model during the construction programme at Skegness Learning Campus.” Adrian Clarke, Group Vice Principal for Corporate Services at the TEC Partnership, stated: “I am thrilled that construction is underway on our new Skegness Learning Campus. It is exciting to witness our designs and plans come to fruition. The new learning campus will introduce a broad curriculum and fresh opportunities for the community of Skegness.” Chris Baron, Chair of Connected Coast, echoed this sentiment, and said: “The new, state of the art Skegness learning campus is set to be an economic game changer for the area. Not only is it our flagship Town Deal project in Skegness, it is also the single largest Towns Fund project in Lincolnshire. “The new campus is also part of the Skegness Gateway and will be a catalyst for change in the area, providing an inspirational space where local people can get the skills, knowledge, and training they need to access the employment opportunities they want. Consultation is also being carried out with local employers and learning providers to ensure the training offered meets the needs of the local economy now and in the future. “It is great to see work now underway on this fantastic facility and I forward to seeing the difference the campus will make within the community and for local people in the years to come.” The Skegness TEC campus will be located at the heart of the Skegness Gateway initiative, which includes 1,000 new homes, approximately 41,000 sq m of commercial premises, tourist accommodation, a crematorium, a primary school, a local retail centre with shops, pubs, and eateries, as well as 4,000 sq m of storage facilities. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
HID® Mobile Access® Offers Students and Staff the Ability to Use Their Smartphones to Gain Touchless Entry Into Buildings HID, the worldwide leader in trusted identity solutions, announces today that the University of Dundee is updating its city campus estate implementing HID® Mobile Access® and signature HID Signo™ readers throughout its buildings to guarantee it has a modern, secure and reliable access control system to allow staff and students to enter using both RFID cards and smartphones. The project will involve buying and installing new mobile-ready HID Signo readers at around 40 buildings – a staged rollout being completed over a two-year period by specialist security installer, Scottish Communications Group. In addition, the University has purchased 10,000 HID Mobile Access licenses to offer its academic community the option to use their Apple and Android smart phones for touchless entry into its facilities. “We wanted a modern system which is safe, secure and easy for everyone to use,” says Colin Stebbing, the University’s Head of Precinct Services. “Complying with forthcoming legislation was also another important project requirement. With bills like Martyn’s Law soon to be enacted, ensuring the University is ready for this was important given that we have a duty to protect to ensure everyone is safe. The HID solution enables us to not only lock down buildings immediately, but it has built-in functionality which we can leverage over time, meaning we’ve invested in ‘future proof’ equipment which will last us long term.” The University of Dundee is a public research university in Scotland renowned for its academic excellence in dentistry, medicine, science and engineering and life sciences. Based in the heart of the city, it is home to over 16,000 students, 3,300 staff and is ranked 33rd in the Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024. A thriving institution with ambitious development plans, it is currently building a new £40 million facility called the Innovation Hub. This will offer commercial organizations flexible laboratory, meeting and office space and, over the next 10 years, it is anticipated the Hub will help create up to 280 new high-quality jobs. The new HID Signo readers integrate with the University’s existing AEOS access control software from Nedap. Supporting both native Bluetooth® and Near Field Communication (NFC) connectivity, they allow touchless smartphone entry and are fast to install as the wiring uses common protocols like OSDP [Open Supervised Device Protocol] and Wiegand. Furthermore, existing access cards already in circulation can be used with the new HID Signo readers thereby speeding up the rollout. Historically, the University used to print and issue plastic RFID cards so staff and students could access buildings. This process was laborious and time-consuming, especially during peak times like Freshers Week, when some 2,500 – 3,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students enroll. Issuing cards was logistically complex due to the high demand and the need for thorough identity checks, which could take up to 10 minutes per card. Shifting to HID Mobile Access – which utilizes cloud-based HID Origo management software integrating with the AEOS system – completely changes this and delivers wireless credentialling. This significantly simplifies all the licensing, allocation of credentials, setting of building access rights, validating or revoking of IDs – all of which is now done virtually and remotely. “Once registered by Student Services in AEOS, a student simply gets an email to their phone, they tap on a link, the app automatically uploads and a mobile credential is granted,” says Paul Brady, HID’s End User Business Manager for Physical Access Control Solutions. “Not only does this improve the overall student experience because it’s substantially quicker and more efficient, but it’s far more sustainable as you’re not issuing PVC cards anymore.” While the strategy and aspiration are for the university population to shift wholesale to mobile access, its approach today is to operate a dual system. “We recognize that some visitors and staff still want to use a physical pass and not all employees have a university issued mobile credential,” explains Stebbing. “HID Signo readers allow us to run both credential types in tandem, with HID Mobile Access giving us the option to scale up to include digital wallets from Apple and Google, as well as integrate with digital campus cards should we decide to go down this route in the future.” Given RFID cards are still required today, the University of Dundee utilizes its reliable FARGO DTC4500e printers to back up this transition to digital transformation. The FARGO range of ID card printers integrate easily with the AEOS software so that Student Services staff can easily issue physical IDs themselves. “HID Signo readers are going in now across the main buildings including the new Innovation Hub site,” says Stuart Leslie, Scottish Communications Group’s director. “HID’s reputation is built on reliability and security with its solutionssupporting the latest encryption, communications and authentication standards. Their devices have an open architecture so they’re easy to install and integrate which reduces the cost for the university and makes time to value that much quicker.” In addition, Scottish Communication Group is supplying Motorola MOTORTRBO Ion smart radios to the University’s security staff. The radios will be configured to run HID Mobile Access so they can open doors fitted with the new HID Signo readers. Because these smart radios also link to the University’s CCTV, alarm systems and CriticalArc Safezone® App, security staff need carry only a single device to fulfill their duties. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction of the new Aseptic Pharmacy and Sterile Service Department at University Hospital Southampton has hit a significant milestone. A ‘topping out’ ceremony was held to celebrate the building reaching its highest point, marking a key step forward as the project moves closer to its scheduled opening in Spring 2025. Situated on plot 2 of the Adanac Health and Innovation Campus in Southampton, the new multi-use facility, which has been funded by investment from MacQuarie Group, will comprise an Aseptic Pharmacy, Sterile Services Department (SSD), and flexible expansion space. The Aseptic Pharmacy will act as an MHRA-licensed pharmacy, with drugs and medicines manufactured for UHS and other NHS providers in the region. Meanwhile, the SSD will sterilise surgical tools and equipment for use by UHS; these services will be delivered at the new location by current provider IHSS. UHS is one of the largest acute teaching trusts in England and experiences a very high demand on its geographically constrained site. By working with developer Prime plc, through the Southampton Commercial Estates Development Partnership (CEDP), the trust has been able to unlock many complex estate challenges. These new facilities will be the latest in a series of developments designed to create more space for the trust to expand. Previous development on the hospital site has produced a new entrance, retail space and staff car park. The partners then worked together to create Adanac Health and Innovation Campus, providing additional expansion space with good proximity to the hospital and easy access to the motorway network. Ewan Forsyth, Development Director at Prime: “Prime is proud to play a pivotal role in the ongoing transformation of University Hospital Southampton. The development of the new Sterile Services Department and aseptic pharmacy not only showcases our commitment to innovative, high-quality healthcare infrastructure but also aligns with the Trust’s sustainability goals. By integrating advanced sterilisation and pharmaceutical preparation facilities under one roof, we have created a state-of-the-art environment that will enhance the hospital’s capabilities and improve patient care. This project stands as a testament to what can be achieved through strategic partnerships and innovative thinking, supporting UHS in its mission to provide exceptional healthcare services now and in the future.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The steel framework for a new city centre college campus has been completed as part of the council’s transformational Phase Two City Learning Quarter masterplan. Situated around the Old Hall Street and St George’s Parade area, incorporating a site on the corner of Garrick Street and Bilston Street where the former Faces nightclub building once stood, the development is also utilising City of Wolverhampton College’s existing Metro One building. McLaughlin & Harvey has now moved onto the next stage of works – which includes floor decking installation and concrete pour on all levels, façade works and roofing – and remain on course to deliver the new state-of-the-art facility in time for the start of the 2025/26 academic year. Alongside improved Adult Education Wolverhampton and Central Library facilities, the £61 million scheme – supported by Government funding – will establish new educational provision that enhance skills and employment outcomes for residents across the city and wider region. Councillor Chris Burden, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Development, Jobs and Skills, said: “The City Learning Quarter has been a long-held ambition of the city council and fantastic progress is being made by the contractors in the creation of a vibrant education hub that will unlock future opportunities for all in the city. “We are working hard with City of Wolverhampton College to ensure we improve the city’s learning, apprenticeship and employment offers, and retain our best talent. “The steel framework alone is impressive and gives us a taste of how these new facilities will provide a vital facelift to our city centre. It will be an inspirational environment for people to learn in, also offering excellent connectivity to rail, bus, tram and cycle routes. “We will be delivering an environment where everyone can flourish, demonstrating the commitment we have to investing in our residents.” Paul Davies, Director of Finance at the college, said: “The completion of the steelwork is a significant milestone in the construction of the new city centre site which will enable us to move from the Paget Road site and welcome students to the new campus in the 2025/26 academic year. “The City Learning Quarter, including the new Advanced Technology and Automotive Centre which is due to open at the Wellington Road campus this September, will transform the learning environment for thousands of students and apprentices, provide modern teaching facilities for staff, and ensure the workforce of the future is equipped with the skills and knowledge that employers need their staff to have.” Warinder Juss, MP for Wolverhampton West, said: “The development of the City Learning Quarter to include Wolverhampton College provides exciting opportunities to not only the students of the college but will also help with the regeneration of the city centre. It is great to see the progress that has been made.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Eric Wright Construction has started the building and fit out of a £22million college building for Seashell Trust in Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, which will deliver specialist education facilities for students aged 16-25. The new building for Royal College Manchester is made up of a reception and specialist classrooms along with sports and administration facilities. The building will also incorporate a café, activity hall with extended climbing wall, fitness suite, rebound room, sensory integration room and a suite of flexible multi-purpose rooms at ground floor level, with contemporary office space above and external landscaping. The building will provide 12 new classrooms and six individual teaching spaces. Seashell provides support for young people with complex disabilities and communication needs. The specially equipped college building is designed to enable staff and students to move about with the minimum of restriction. It replaces an existing building which was not fit for purpose and did not have space for the adaptations needed to accommodate many of the students, some of whom use wheelchairs and other equipment to move about. Some students also live on campus in neighbouring residential homes. Commenting on the start on site, James Eager, Director Lead from Eric Wright Construction said: “We’re really pleased to have started on the delivery of this superb new college building which will really enhance the lives of the students and staff alike. The building has gone through a painstaking design and review process in collaboration with the Trust’s teaching team, with every element of its design tailored to meet the needs of the students.” Brandon Leigh, Chief Executive at Seashell, said: “Watching the building finally start to take shape is exciting and we can’t wait to see students and staff enjoying the building very soon. The new college building will mean improved accessibility for students and will be much better at meeting the needs of the young adults with complex disabilities who come to Seashell. Seeing the building complete will be a monumental point in our history!” Eric Wright started enabling works in January and the building is expected to complete in Autumn 2025. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Morgan Sindall has been selected by Blackpool Council as the main contractor on a pre-contract services agreement to build a new £65m state-of-the-art education campus in the town centre. The appointment follows a competitive tendering process through the Pagabo Framework. The Multiversity mixed-use educational development will bring up to 3,000 students and staff into Blackpool town centre and allow Blackpool and the Fylde College to relocate from out-of-town facilities into a world-class campus off Cookson Street in Blackpool. Land for the development is currently being assembled with the site offering a perfect location situated next to tram, train and bus services, making it accessible to students across the Fylde Coast and beyond. The Multiversity would be leased to the College, offering more than 70 individual courses and enhancing its existing higher education provision which is directly linked to local employment needs. The Multiversity would also support a wide range of qualifications, from further education, through to higher education and adult learning. The proposed development would include two phases, starting with an education campus on the corner of Cookson Street and George Street, followed by future development across the southern end of the site by Milbourne Street and Grosvenor Street. The plans would deliver up to 32,600 sqm of education space and commercial space across several phases, starting with the new Multiversity building. Outline approval for the scheme was granted in April 2024, with a reserved matters application to follow this summer. The main campus building would be designed to be carbon-neutral in operation, with the surrounding area on George Street landscaped and pedestrianised to make it a safer environment for students and local people. The Multiversity has been designed by established architects Hawkins\Brown and aims to complement the rest of the Talbot Gateway regeneration. Steven Gregory, Morgan Sindall Construction’s North West Area Director, said: “We’re excited to be appointed to the Multiversity Campus project with Blackpool Council and the Blackpool and The Fylde College, which promises to deliver precious benefits for the local community. Once complete, the campus will boost access to advanced skills for Blackpool’s resident and support the town centre’s wider regeneration. “The Morgan Sindall team is committed to maximising the social and economic value generated during the development. This will be achieved in several ways, such as utilising local contractors and creating a Knowledge Quad to provide training and learning opportunities, such as hosting the Blackpool Community Skills Academy employability programme. We’ve also already partnered with Blackpool and The Fylde College to provide ongoing education support to help students become ‘work ready’.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A primary school and bowls pavilion in a South Wales village have switched to clean, renewable heating, but in an innovative way that cannot be replicated anywhere else in Wales. Ffynnon Taf Primary School and the Pavilion at Taff’s Well Bowling Club in Taff’s Well, Wales, have had a bold new heating system installed by Kensa, the UK-based Ground Source Heat Pump specialists, that uses naturally occurring heat from the only thermal spring in Wales – the historic Taff’s Well Spring. This unique water source heat pump system harnesses natural heat from the warm spring water, which emerges from deep beneath the earth at around 21o C, to provide the two council-owned properties with low-carbon heating and hot water. Using the innovative clean heating method instead of gas is expected to cut the school and pavilion’s carbon emissions linked to heating by close to 80%. It also demonstrated a way of using Kensa’s ground source heat pumps without drilling vertical boreholes to access heat energy stored in the ground. The bold idea of using the Taff’s Well thermal spring to heat buildings was initially proposed by the Friends of Taff’s Well community group, who were looking at other ways the historic spring could benefit the local community. This project follows other retrofit renewable heating installations completed in non-domestic buildings by Kensa. Using ground source heat pump technology the UK’s leading manufacturer and solutions provider has futureproofed heating and lowered carbon emissions caused by heat in multiple UK schools and council properties. The unique installation also highlights the versatility of Kensa’s ground source heat pump systems and forms part of Rhondda Cynon Taf Borough Council’s ambitious plans to decarbonise by 2030. How the system works: On Tuesday, 16th July, Kensa’s Dr Stuart Gadsden visited the site, along with representatives from Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, to demonstrate to pupils from the Ffynon Taf Primary School’s Eco Committee how their new low-carbon heating and hot water system works. Dr Stuart Gadsden, Kensa Contracting Commercial Director, said: “This is an incredibly unique system and really demonstrates how versatile Kensa’s ground source heat pumps are. It was great to show the pupils how their exciting new heating system works and how it will reduce their carbon footprint. “Kensa has a proven track record of delivering the high efficiencies of ground source heat pump technology for numerous UK schools and local authorities, providing them with a futureproofed low-carbon heating system. “Using the historic Taff’s Well thermal spring as a renewable heat source is a brilliant example of how bold ideas can lead to something that benefits future generations. It’s something the whole community can be proud of, and we were pleased to play our part in making it happen.” Ffynnon Taf Primary School Headteacher, Kathryn Price, said: “We are very excited about how Taff’s Well Thermal Spring has been utilised for the whole school community. Our Eco Committee thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the heat pump system and how this helps to reduce the school’s carbon footprint. We will continue to celebrate the success of the thermal spring installation in our community for many years to come.” Jon Arroyo, Energy and Carbon Reduction Manager at Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, said: “We have an ambition to decarbonise the Council by 2030 and we understand there is no one solution to decarbonise our heating systems, so it is important that we look at what heat resources are around or under us. As a Council we see our role in exploring alternative solutions to help steer our businesses and residents in their journey towards a net zero future.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading offsite manufacturer McAvoy has recently delivered a new temporary classroom facility at The Bromfords Secondary School in Wickford, which was awarded through the Offsite Construction Solutions framework. It marks the latest in a series of projects aimed at addressing emergency school closures due to the prevalence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC). Using advanced offsite manufacturing capabilities and featuring its innovative temporary SmartClass® solution, McAvoy delivered a comprehensive solution to meet the school’s urgent need for classroom space. Within eight weeks, the temporary classroom facility was installed and handed over, offering a sustainable, adaptable, and safe environment for students and staff. McAvoy manufactured 42 SmartClass® modules at its 70,000 sq ft, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, with a significant proportion of the work being completed offsite. All 42 modules were installed over the course of five days. The two-storey facility, comprising six classrooms, two offices, shower and changing rooms and WCs on the ground floor, along with an additional eight classrooms and three offices on the second floor, was designed to meet the educational needs of the students and staff. Navigating the challenges posed by the school’s location within a residential area with narrow streets, McAvoy implemented a robust traffic control system to facilitate the swift and disruption-free installation of the modules. As the site was within the grounds of the existing school, McAvoy created a separate site entrance to further minimise disruption. Given the urgency from the closure of classrooms due to RAAC, McAvoy’s expedited manufacturing and installation process paved the way for the quick execution of the project. In addition to The Bromfords School project, McAvoy has recently delivered similar temporary SmartClass® solutions at educational settings across the UK, including Kingsdown School in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, Parks Primary School in Leicester, and Hockley Primary School in Essex. These projects, commissioned by the Department for Education, were instrumental in providing interim accommodation for staff and students during emergency closures due to RAAC. Glen Busby, Director of Modular Rental & Sales at McAvoy, commented, “Delivering swift and reliable temporary space solutions for schools facing emergency closures is key to ensuring the continuity of education and the safety of students and staff. Our commitment to using advanced offsite manufacturing techniques, exemplified by projects like The Bromfords School, allows us to respond quickly to challenges like these. We are proud to support educational institutions across the UK with adaptable temporary and permanent modular solutions that meet their evolving needs.” Chris King, Trust Business Manager at The Bromfords School, said: “We were impressed with McAvoy’s whole site management and excellent communication to keep us updated throughout. The use of modular construction benefited this project due to the speed of completion, and we were also able to continue with our teaching and learning while the project was underway. Any challenges were quickly resolved, and the team planned well around our normal school day to limit disruption. This included arranging deliveries around quieter periods, to reflect that the use of the main entrance needed to be used by both construction workers and our students. The overall impression of the temporary classroom facility is that it will benefit our students with its large, spacious and bright areas.” For more information on McAvoy Group, please visit: www.mcavoygroup.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Regional sub-contractors are joining forces and providing all their time, labour, and costs for free to offer SENCO enhancement works for the Grace Academy in Coventry – as part of its vision for the future. Led by McLaren Construction’s Midlands and North division and Opus Land, ‘The Big Build’ charitable programme of works will deliver brand-new classrooms and sensory facilities, enriching the lives of students at the Academy who are in desperate need of these spaces. McLaren Construction Midlands and North and Opus Land have been supported in this community project by our designers who helped provide the vision for this scheme; Architect – Webb Gray, Structural Engineer – SBK, Mechanical & Electrical Engineers – CPW and Landscaper – Whiting’s, who are also providing all the landscape and raised beds works. The works will include a complete refurbishment and remodelling of existing classrooms to form larger teaching spaces and a new sensory room with access to outside spaces. New walls, ceilings and floorings will also be installed, complemented by new LED lighting, heating, security, and fire alarm systems. The dedicated space will allow a new environment for student needs, offering room for small group intervention and 1-2-1 support with internal staff and external agencies. The school enhancements will ensure students with special educational and emotional needs can be as fully equipped as possible for success. Works will take place from 22 July until Friday 2 August, and the academy will be holding an opening ceremony to celebrate and view the new spaces on 2 September. Head of Grace Academy, Natasha Whiles, said: “We are so grateful that this space and build has allowed us to really take the time to consider the individual needs of some of our most vulnerable learners. We’ve really enjoyed working alongside McLaren Construction Midlands and North and all parties involved, to develop the space which otherwise would be completely unaffordable. We’re looking forward to the new facilities helping special educational and emotional needs students work towards their limitless potential through ‘The Grace Way’.” Operations Director at McLaren Construction Midlands and North, Shaun Colley, said: “The Big Build works at Grace Academy will provide state-of-the-art classrooms and facilities to improve the lives of the current and future intake of students and we are proud to be part of this fantastic project. “We commend all of the designers and contractors who have committed to supporting this project and it’s been an honour to be part of this process and driving it forwards for such a worthy school in the region. “I would like to thank the below contractors personally, without you none of this would have been possible, thank you.” Joint Managing Director of Opus Land, Richard Smith, said: “We are most grateful to McLaren Construction Midlands and North and all of the other companies involved in the BIG Build for their tremendous generosity here. “Opus originally got involved in The Grace Academy through their development of the nearby Prospero estate on the Ansty Business Park and soon came to realise the tremendous results that the school fulfils for the local community.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Viridis, a consortium of Equitix (infrastructure investor, developer and manager)), GRAHAM (equity and construction) and Derwent FM (facilities management), has been selected as preferred bidder and delivery partner for the redevelopment of the University of Manchester’s Fallowfield Campus redevelopment under a Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) model. This selection followed a competitive tendering process and represents an important step towards a significant upgrade of the University’s student accommodation offering. The University and Viridis consortium will now work together to further develop its DBFO delivery plans with the aim of reaching financial close by summer 2025. The redevelopment will create modern, high-quality, purpose-built student accommodation on the Fallowfield campus. It forms part of a phased redevelopment to increase the supply of modern bedrooms and student socialising spaces to provide a supportive residential experience. The University of Manchester’s proposal to redevelop the Fallowfield Campus to provide more high-quality, modern student accommodation was approved by Manchester City Council Planning and Highways Committee in January 2024. The approved plans encompass the redevelopment of Owens Park, Oak House and Woolton Hall to meet the demand for student bedrooms in inclusive, safe and sociable surroundings. Located near the University’s main buildings, the site is well-connected and provides students with a wide range of support services to ensure a world-class student experience. On completion, the wider Fallowfield campus will offer up to 5,400 student beds by replacing the existing older accommodation on-site and delivering 3,300 updated bedrooms to meet the growing demand for high-quality, modern bedrooms across the popular campus. The redevelopment will be delivered in multiple phases. Demolition of Owens Park Tower and surrounding buildings, which have been closed for several years, is ongoing and due to complete early in 2025. Dr Simon Merrywest, Director for the Student Experience, University of Manchester said: ‘We are delighted to have reached another key milestone in the progression of our plans for the Fallowfield Campus Redevelopment with the selection of Viridis as preferred bidder and our delivery partner. Clearly, there remains a lot of work to do in order to reach financial close on this exciting programme by summer 2025. ‘As we have said previously, these plans show our commitment to providing our new and returning students with modern, high-quality accommodation. This much needed update to one of our most popular student campuses will help us to continue to meet the needs of our student population by delivering well-connected, serviced, modern accommodation in a supportive and inclusive environment. ‘As we progress, we will continue to work with our Fallowfield neighbours and local neighbourhood managers so that both our students and the surrounding community can benefit as much as possible from the redevelopment project.’ Achal Bhuwania, Equitix CIO said: ‘Delighted that an Equitix consortium has been selected to support the University of Manchester in its next stage of growth and development, to provide a world-class student living experience. This is further testament to the proven capabilities and commitment to UK greenfield infrastructure as well as supporting British supply chain partners. This win was achieved through our relentless focus on building trust and long-lasting relationships as well as providing best in class solutions with core focus on sustainability and value for money.’ GRAHAM CEO, Andrew Bill said: ‘GRAHAM is delighted to be working in partnership with the University of Manchester to deliver its vision for the Fallowfield Residences Redevelopment Programme. Together, we will focus on creating an exemplar sustainable campus that will enhance the experience of the University’s next generation of students.’ The University of Manchester advisors for the Fallowfield Campus Redevelopment Programme are: RLB, CBRE, Student First Group, QMPF and Pinsent Masons. The Viridis advisors are: Sheppard Robson (design), Operis (financial and accounting), Osborne Clarke (legal and tax), Howdens (insurance) and WSP (technical) To view further information and to receive updates on the project, please visit the project website at Fallowfield student campus Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
