Developer Watkin Jones has secured funds managed by KKR to build a 819-bed purpose-built student housing (PBSA) scheme in Bristol. The consideration will be payable to Watkin Jones over the course of the development located in Dalby Avenue, Bedminster, which is due for completion in August 2024. It includes an
Chapman Taylor, working with Turley, Stace LLP, and Churchman Thornhill Finch, is delighted to announce the submission of a detailed planning application for the prestigious Queen’s Hospital Close development in Birmingham. The proposed mixed residential development aims to revitalise the historic site and contribute to the vibrant urban fabric of
A major refurbishment project being undertaken by Clegg Construction in partnership with the University of Nottingham has been shortlisted for an East Midlands Energy Efficiency Award. The £10.2m scheme, which comprises the sustainable refurbishment of the University’s historic Florence Boot Hall building to provide students with accessible, comfortable and modern
What do a successful musical and an award-winning purpose-built student accommodation developer have in common? Alumno Managing Director David Campbell reveals all… When we applied for planning permission for one of our most challenging, yet rewarding projects in 2018, little did we know that the journey would end with an Alumno team outing in March 2023 to
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has been awarded a Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) scheme by Madison Cairn. After successfully completing the initial enabling works and piling operations, Winvic now commences the groundworks, which
The construction phase of a new £24 million purpose-built managed student accommodation project on Dogpool Lane in Birmingham began recently, marked with a special event. Senior teams from building contractor GMI Construction Group and developer Alumno Group were present at the ceremony. Regenerating a former BT brownfield site within the
Developer Linkcity has been granted planning permission by the London Borough of Newham for Phase 4 of its Hallsville Quarter development masterplan in Canning Town. Phase 4 proposes a new mixed-use city block designed by architects PRP, which includes 377 purpose-built student accommodation rooms, a wide range of student amenity
Offsite Solutions, the UK’s leading bathroom pod specialist, has been awarded its second student living contract at the University of the West of England’s Frenchay Campus in Bristol – a £1.7m project to manufacture 757 bathroom pods for VINCI Building. Offsite Solutions has delivered 16 pod projects for VINCI Building
THE CONYGAR Investment Company PLC has announced that Midlands-based construction company, Bowmer + Kirkland is its project partner for the student accommodation phase at The Island Quarter, in Nottingham – one of the UK’s biggest regeneration sites. The 12-storey 693-bed student living accommodation is currently underway at the £1.4 billion,
The former site of Images Nightclub in Worcester has been transformed into 83 student flats, with Intrastack supplying the steel-frame structure and the installation being undertaken by installer, Intastruct, on behalf of the main developer, Spec Projects. Intrastack, part of the Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions division, manufactured and delivered the light
Developer Watkin Jones has secured funds managed by KKR to build a 819-bed purpose-built student housing (PBSA) scheme in Bristol. The consideration will be payable to Watkin Jones over the course of the development located in Dalby Avenue, Bedminster, which is due for completion in August 2024. It includes an initial net cash receipt for Watkin Jones of around £25 million. KKR is making the investment through its European Core Plus Real Estate strategy, which focuses on thematic investments in high-quality, substantially stabilised assets with long-term growth potential. Upon completion, the 819-bed scheme will be fully leased to The University of Bristol on a long-term basis. The development will deliver a mix of 5-12 bed cluster flats together with around 15,000 sq.ft. of internal amenity space and considerable external amenity space including a private terrace, courtyard, and gardens. The site has transport links to the University campuses and is located close to Bedminster train station and within walking distance to Bristol’s city centre. With two established universities in the city, Bristol continues to be a leading destination of choice for students in higher education. However, accommodation in the UK’s eighth largest city is stretched across both the build-to-rent (BtR) and PBSA markets. The creation of the new major PBSA development in Bedminster is important in helping the city to address the on-going and increasing demand for student accommodation. The PBSA scheme is located in one of the five key sites identified in Bristol City Council’s Bedminster Green Framework as a priority for redevelopment. Alex Pease, Chief Investment Officer, Watkin Jones, said: “We are delighted to have secured our second deal with KKR, and would like to thank them for their efforts and partnership approach in reaching this agreement. This is an exciting opportunity to develop a key area of regeneration in the Bedminster area of Bristol for the ever-growing student needs in the city. “The sale is further evidence of the attractive investment and operational fundamentals of both PBSA as a sector and Bristol as a city and a good sign of investment markets re-opening. “Watkin Jones has a strong track record of developing PBSA schemes in Bristol as rising demand continues, including work recently completed at Wilder Street and Unity Street last year, in addition to work currently underway on a PBSA site on Gas Lane. “We are really excited as Bristol is widely regarded as one of the UK’s top university towns for education but also it represents one of the most vibrant and inclusive cities for students to live. Offering a wide range of bars, shops, and restaurants, it is a city for students to enjoy.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Chapman Taylor, working with Turley, Stace LLP, and Churchman Thornhill Finch, is delighted to announce the submission of a detailed planning application for the prestigious Queen’s Hospital Close development in Birmingham. The proposed mixed residential development aims to revitalise the historic site and contribute to the vibrant urban fabric of the city. The plans encompass an innovative blend of 189 Build to Rent apartments and 759 Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) residential bedrooms. Located on the grounds of the former Birmingham Accident Hospital, the development will breathe new life into the site while honouring its rich heritage. Part of the proposal involves the careful refurbishment of the two remaining listed buildings, ensuring their preservation and activation. These buildings will house communal facilities, including a public café and a gym, fostering a sense of community within the development. Designed with a landscape-led approach, the site layout seeks to transform the currently gated area into an inviting environment. It features a series of landscaped courtyards responding sensitively to the adjacent canal, and generous new public ream creating a harmonious setting for the listed buildings. The new buildings have been thoughtfully conceived as a family grouping, gradually stepping up in height from east to west. At the junction of Bath Row and the Birmingham Old Line Canal, a tall building will serve as a distinctive landmark. While each building boasts its own unique identity through variation in colour, a common architectural language ensures a cohesive and visually appealing whole. Sustainability lies at the core of the project’s design philosophy, with a commitment to achieving a BREEAM Excellent for the new buildings and Very Good for the listed buildings. Through the implementation of a high-performance building envelope and efficient technical systems, the development aims to minimise energy consumption and carbon emissions. Ecology and biodiversity are woven through the site, with buildings carefully placed to allow retention of the majority of the existing trees, and set back from the canal to provide an ecologically rich edge, preserving the Canal Wildlife Corridor. Additionally, a strong emphasis on connecting residents with the outdoors will enhance their well-being, offering spaces for both active enjoyment and calm reflection. Currently, the planning application is under review by the local authority, with a decision anticipated in early autumn 2023. We look forward to a positive outcome that will pave the way for the realisation of this exceptional development in the heart of Birmingham. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A major refurbishment project being undertaken by Clegg Construction in partnership with the University of Nottingham has been shortlisted for an East Midlands Energy Efficiency Award. The £10.2m scheme, which comprises the sustainable refurbishment of the University’s historic Florence Boot Hall building to provide students with accessible, comfortable and modern student accommodation, has been announced as a finalist in the Large-Scale Project of the Year category, which recognises schemes over £250,000 in value that will deliver considerable energy savings. A raft of energy efficiency measures has been implemented to help improve the thermal and low carbon efficiency within the 1920s-constructed building via a fabric-first approach. These include air-source heat pumps to replace gas-fired systems, a Building Management System, upgrades to roof insulation, as well as LED lighting throughout. In addition, over 380 new triple-glazed windows, (which are in keeping with the surrounding historical aesthetic) on the University Park campus, replace PVC units installed circa 20 years ago. The project is targeted and forecast to achieve BREEAM ‘Very Good’, and has been overseen by Chris Jamison, senior site manager at Clegg Construction, who is a BREAAM-Accredited Person and whose extensive knowledge and experience delivering schemes to BREEAM standards has been instrumental in the delivery of the project. In testament to the many energy-efficient technologies and measures installed throughout the building, its Energy Performance Asset Rating is forecast to increase significantly from E to B. It is estimated that the fabric-first approach to decarbonising the building equates to a reduction of 380 tonnes of CO2 per year. This aligns with the University of Nottingham’s carbon management plan (to be net zero by 2040 with an interim target for 2030), with Clegg’s own sustainability agenda, as well as the UK’s pledge to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Throughout the duration of the project, which is due to complete in summer 2023 for the new intake of students, Clegg enjoyed a considerable degree of engagement with the local and wider community in a wide range of areas, including hiring a 16-year-old school leaver on a four-month placement as a trainee site manager, the use of local subcontractors and suppliers, as well as hosting visits from architecture, engineering and business management students, plus descendants of the Boot family. The hall of residence was the first female hall at the University and was founded by businesswoman and philanthropist, Florence Boot, wife of Boots the Chemist founder Jesse Boot. The scheme has also seen Clegg and the University of Nottingham closely working together to protect the natural environment through tree protection orders, the retention of existing hedges and planting, and the careful relocation and preservation of Pipistrelle and Whiskered bats. Other members of the project team include Maber architects and Couch Perry Wilkes consultants. Now in their tenth year, the Energy Efficiency Awards aim to provide public recognition for the excellent work the energy efficiency sector is doing in undertaking energy efficiency schemes that help cut carbon emissions and reduce fuel poverty, and to help encourage best practice within the energy industry as it works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They are held on a regional and national basis each year. The awards ceremony will take place on the evening of Wednesday 3rd May at the Radisson Blu East Midlands Airport Hotel. Simon Blackburn, managing director at Clegg Construction, said: “Clegg is pleased to be delivering this important project for the University of Nottingham. Florence Boot Hall marks the latest in a long line of high-quality schemes that Clegg has managed on behalf of the University during our partnership of over 20 years.” Clegg Construction is a Midlands, East Anglia, and Yorkshire-based construction firm specialising in the delivery of public and private sector projects. The company, which has its headquarters in Nottingham, works with organisations of all sizes and specialities across a range of different sectors. For more information visit www.cleggconstruction.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
What do a successful musical and an award-winning purpose-built student accommodation developer have in common? Alumno Managing Director David Campbell reveals all… When we applied for planning permission for one of our most challenging, yet rewarding projects in 2018, little did we know that the journey would end with an Alumno team outing in March 2023 to see an award-winning musical at London’s National Theatre. Always looking for exciting and original projects, we were approached by our friends at Urban Splash to become involved in the regeneration of Sheffield’s iconic Park Hill Estate development. This striking, sublime, brutalist, yet much maligned, development was designed by Jack Lynn and Ivor Smith in the 1950s, providing almost 1,000 homes in 400 acres of high-rise blocks poetically named the ‘streets in the sky’. Creativity in sync We always believed the city centre location made Park Hill ideal for student housing, so were honoured to be brought in to deliver our vision for phase 3 of the project, Béton House. After months of planning work, led by Sheffield-based Whittam Cox Architects, we convinced the local authority that our conservation-led approach to the design, preserving the historic character of the building, was the right move, and celebrated gaining planning permission in July 2018. While we were preparing the plans for Béton House, another creative team were also working on a Park Hill project. In contrast to our preservation of the visual design, architecture and structure of the estate, they were marking and celebrating its social impact. Standing on the Sky’s Edge is the vibrant and compelling story of how Park Hill and its dwellers have changed across generations. It reflects the fluctuating face and personality of Sheffield, much in the same way as we saw the new student community as part of this legacy and a new vibrant community. Songs and storeys When our construction partners Kier began work on Béton House, Standing on the Sky’s Edge was opening at Sheffield’s Crucible theatre to rave reviews. However, plans to tour were brutally brought to a halt by the pandemic. By the time the musical re-emerged in December 2022, Béton House was open, flourishing with vibrant student life. Another stage was complete in the revitalisation of a Sheffield landmark and social hub. Meanwhile, the buzz around Standing on the Sky’s Edge was growing again, with the show soon to move to London’s famous National Theatre. Which was when the Alumno team went along to experience the show and revisit the themes and feelings that made Park Hill such an important project for us – and we were delighted to be mentioned in the show’s programme! The production has since won Best New Musical at the 2023 Olivier Awards. Our restoration of Park Hill will help to ensure the iconic estate has more stories for playwrights and songsmiths to tell about the people who live there for generations to come – and we are proud to say we have played our part. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has been awarded a Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) scheme by Madison Cairn. After successfully completing the initial enabling works and piling operations, Winvic now commences the groundworks, which comprise under slab drainage and ducts works and installation of concrete pile caps, beams, ring beams and the ground floor slab. The project comprising 367 studios and shared rooms is part of the second phase of Redcliff Quarter, located on the corner of St Thomas Street and Cross Street in Bristol, ten-minute walk from the University of Bristol’s main campus. The concrete frame programme begins in April. It will climb to 12 storeys and the building form is predominantly an L shape to accommodate a 2,700 sq ft, landscaped first floor communal roof garden terrace to the rear. The roof at level 12 has been designed as a blue roof to provide the building with the function of water attenuation. When complete there will be three seven-bed cluster rooms, 16 six-bed cluster rooms, 11 threedios, 11 twodios, 176 studios and 19 accessible rooms. 4,600 sq ft of flexible communal spaces, ancillary accommodation and storage for 184 cycles will also be found on the ground floor. Handover is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025. The project completes the wider urban block, which it has been designed to complement, and adjoins a new build-to-rent (BTR) project on two elevations. The construction works will be programmed to coordinate with this scheme that Winvic began this BTR for Madison Cairn in September 2022 and will complete in 2025. A number of underground services will be installed and diverted as part of the project and the student accommodation will be connected to the Bristol Heating Network. The Bristol Byzantine style has inspired the external aesthetic along with the prevailing use of brick and stone and metal cladding in the area. Red and black bricks will be used on the façade alongside a contrast of fluted and flat glass reinforced concrete (GRC) and metalwork cladding. Mark Jones, Winvic’s Director of Multi-room, said: “We’re delighted Madison Cairn has selected us to partner on this scheme. This repeat business is a testament to strong collaboration and the partnership that we have built with this client. Both projects come with their own challenges and deadlines, with this site being particularly constrained on logistics – due to the interface of the adjoining buildings – and the limit space on this city centre location. Nevertheless, the Winvic team appointed to the Redcliff Quarter student accommodation project have a wealth of experience and we are looking forward to safe delivery through to 2025.” Aneil Handa, Principle at Madison Cairn, said: “This will be one of Bristol’s most sustainable and high-quality student accommodation schemes, which has been designed by working in conjunction with Bristol City Council and the local community. This is the second project that we are working on with Winvic Construction, and we are excited to build upon our relationship in a partnership approach.” For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news and job vacancies please visit www.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit Twitter @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The construction phase of a new £24 million purpose-built managed student accommodation project on Dogpool Lane in Birmingham began recently, marked with a special event. Senior teams from building contractor GMI Construction Group and developer Alumno Group were present at the ceremony. Regenerating a former BT brownfield site within the established Stirchley community, the development will accommodate the growing number of students attending local universities and the city’s dental hospital, taking pressure off private housing in the area. Funded by Woh Hup, the building will comprise a mix of cluster beds and single occupancy studio rooms for 167 residents, together with a reception and communal areas. Community benefits The scheme will also provide an improved retail space for the site’s original Post Office and newsagent outlet, which has been relocated close by during construction. The local community will also benefit from an enhanced public area in front of the building, which will include landscaping, seating and cycle stands. Promoting a cleaner local environment, the development will be car free, with students prohibited from bringing vehicles to Birmingham through their tenancy agreements. Student residents will benefit from easy access to public transport, with the development close to bus, rail and cycle networks, as well as being within walking distance of local university campuses. Local references Designed by Glenn Howells Architects, the new building will comprise brickwork and terracotta detailing, which references local materials, while also providing a new identity for the building. “The elegantly crafted red brick/terracotta design of Dogpool Lane responds to several key local landmarks, including the red brick Selly Park Church and Dogpool Lane Hotel,” explained Dav Bansal, Partner at Glenn Howells Architects, which designed the development. “The project also reinstates a piece of under-utilised green space as a matured setting for the building for both students and the local community to enjoy. It will provide a much needed and sustainable home to embed students in the wider community, but also a catalyst for regenerating this local neighbourhood.” Economic boost Commenting on the project, Alumno Managing Director David Campbell said: “It’s great to be celebrating the start of work on another exciting project. Our development will improve the local area visually, provide an economic boost to local businesses, and deliver much needed accommodation for Birmingham’s growing student population,” “As with all our developments, we have worked closely with the surrounding community and local authority to ensure the scheme enhances this vibrant area.” Delighted to be collaborating with Alumno again, Gareth Jones, GMI’s Joint Divisional Managing Director, said: “This is the third project we have undertaken in collaboration with Alumno, having last year completed the Church Inn development in Manchester, as well as working alongside them on the Whitelock Street scheme in Leeds. “We’re proud to add another project to our growing portfolio in conjunction with Alumno, and it is a development which underlines our versatility in constructing a wide range of builds.” Alumno and GMI plan to have the new building completed in time for the 2024 student intake. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Developer Linkcity has been granted planning permission by the London Borough of Newham for Phase 4 of its Hallsville Quarter development masterplan in Canning Town. Phase 4 proposes a new mixed-use city block designed by architects PRP, which includes 377 purpose-built student accommodation rooms, a wide range of student amenity spaces including a first-floor garden and 7th-floor roof terrace and 487m2 of new ground floor, flexible commercial floorspace and landscaped public realm. As with the previous phases, Bouygues UK will be the main contractor and will take a low-carbon, sustainable approach. Construction is expected to begin towards the end of the year. Planning and development consultancy Montagu Evans have been advising Linkcity on Phase 4, which will deliver the final jigsaw piece of the new town centre. It marks the penultimate phase of the Hallsville Quarter Masterplan and is expected to complete in Summer 2025. In total the Hallsville Quarter development will provide over 1,100 new homes, a new hotel, up to 30,000m2 of leisure, work and retail space with a new art-house style cinema, and community facilities including a new public health centre close to the Canning Town transport hub. New public spaces, pedestrian links, cyclist provisions and secure parking spaces are also included. Phillippa Prongué, Linkcity Managing Director said, “I’m so thrilled we have been given the go ahead to deliver phase 4 of this significant regeneration project in the London Borough of Newham, which will provide much-needed student accommodation in the area. It’s exciting to see the new town centre coming on at pace and students will bring vitality and diversity to this community.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Offsite Solutions, the UK’s leading bathroom pod specialist, has been awarded its second student living contract at the University of the West of England’s Frenchay Campus in Bristol – a £1.7m project to manufacture 757 bathroom pods for VINCI Building. Offsite Solutions has delivered 16 pod projects for VINCI Building to date which includes major student accommodation schemes for universities in Swansea, Cardiff, Coventry, and Liverpool. This latest project is for the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) – and it is Offsite Solutions’ third for this university. This highly sustainable development is one of the largest Passivhaus projects in the UK. It is designed to provide a high level of comfort for students whilst using very little energy for heating and cooling, helping UWE Bristol and VINCI Building to meet their environmental aspirations. As part of the certified low carbon strategy, the buildings aim to yield a reduction of around 50 per cent in running costs and carbon emissions. To help achieve this, the cold water pipework in the bathroom pods will be insulated and the thermostatic shower and mixer taps for the hand basins are designed to run at lower temperatures. Both of these measures will reduce energy consumption for heating hot water. Steve O’Leary, Regional Business Services Manager at VINCI Building, said, “I have managed the procurement and delivery of around 3,500 pods manufactured by Offsite Solutions in the past nine years. Their approach suits VINCI Building’s model of student accommodation very well. They have robust factory testing processes in place which mean the quality is better and more consistent. In my view, Offsite Solutions’ pods are the best in their sector and I would not hesitate to recommend.” “This solution reduces the numerous trades for bathroom construction to a single supplier, which results in a considerable time saving. Each bathroom typically takes around three weeks to construct traditionally, whereas with offsite manufacturing, we just have to position the pods, make connections, and hang the doors. This is incredibly fast.” James Stephens, Managing Director of Offsite Solutions, said, “We have a history of working with VINCI Building which spans many years. We are delighted to be collaborating with their team once again and on this highly sustainable student living project in Bristol – a campus we have already worked on.” “This is an exciting development which will help to meet the rising demand for modern, high quality student living whilst demonstrating a clear commitment to addressing climate change issues. It is a ground-breaking project which will set new standards for the development of sustainable student accommodation.” Hot water distribution losses can be a major source of energy consumption and can lead to overheating risk. With a Passivhaus specification, the hot and cold water pipework, brackets and fittings are all insulated. Due for completion for the 2023/24 student intake, this phase of the Frenchay Campus development will provide 900 bedspaces in three buildings spanning over 26,000sqm and in clusters of four, six and eight bedrooms and with ensuite or shared bathrooms. The shower pods have a robust and low maintenance GRP construction. Each will be fully finished in Offsite Solutions’ Somerset factory and will be fitted with a D-shaped wall-mounted hand basin, wall-hung toilet with dual flush, thermostatic shower, and sliding shower door. The architects are Stride Treglown with Amber as MEP designers. Offsite Solutions offers the UK’s largest range of pods to suit many different building types and applications. Options include steel-framed bathroom pods with porcelain-tiled finishes for high-end apartments, PRS, student residences and hotels; robust and low maintenance GRP composite shower pods for student accommodation, build-to-rent, care homes, social housing and healthcare; hybrid pods for specialist projects, and award-winning demountable GRP pods for ease of installation in refurbishment schemes. Offsite Solutions has also developed steel-framed utility pods for apartments or studios for build-to-rent or build-to-sell developments. For further information, visit www.offsitesolutions.com, call 01278 780807 or email info@offsitesolutions.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
THE CONYGAR Investment Company PLC has announced that Midlands-based construction company, Bowmer + Kirkland is its project partner for the student accommodation phase at The Island Quarter, in Nottingham – one of the UK’s biggest regeneration sites. The 12-storey 693-bed student living accommodation is currently underway at the £1.4 billion, 36-acre development and is set to welcome its first residents in September 2024 ahead of the academic year. The student accommodation will offer a range of room types including studio flats and cluster living and has been designed by DAY Architectural as part of The Island Quarter’s wider masterplan to combat the continuing shortfall in student accommodation in the city. Christopher Ware, property director at Conygar, said: “Work is well under way on the new student blocks and large cranes are in the sky. We are pleased to be partnering with such a well-regarded company as Bowmer + Kirkland to deliver our vision. “The new space will support Nottingham’s reputation as a leading university city and will provide another choice for city centre living for students, which will benefit future generations attending the universities for decades to come.” It is expected that Nottingham will experience a deficit of 7,000 student beds within the coming years and this purpose-built student accommodation, which includes a high-level sky lounge, private courtyard, socialising and studying space, will go some way to supporting student living in the city. It is also part of the development’s broader masterplan promoting intergenerational living, with housing choices that work for all ages available on the site. Christian Parnell, Bowmer + Kirkland regional director, said: “It is fantastic to see our team start work on this exciting phase of The Island Quarter, in the heart of Nottingham. It is a city with which we have a long association, and our entire team is looking forward to being a part of the project and bringing the plans to fruition.” Christopher added: “The student accommodation marks a significant milestone in the progress of the development as we look ahead to the later phases of the 36-acre site. With our inaugural building, 1 The Island Quarter, already open and serving the public from our restaurant bar Binks Yard and our finer dining restaurant Cleaver & Wake, there’s plenty of action on site to be excited about as we transform this site in the centre of the city. “One of the key things that attracted us to develop The Island Quarter was Nottingham’s two world-leading universities, both of which are experiencing a shortage of high-quality accommodation for their students. We’re delighted to be bringing forward this vibrant scheme that will be an excellent addition to The Island Quarter as the development continues to grow.” Student residents will benefit from the development’s new and existing restaurants and bars, as well as the ‘green river’ of outdoor space that runs throughout The Island Quarter, which is one of the biggest regeneration sites in the UK. To find out more about The Island Quarter, please visit: theislandquarter.com Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The former site of Images Nightclub in Worcester has been transformed into 83 student flats, with Intrastack supplying the steel-frame structure and the installation being undertaken by installer, Intastruct, on behalf of the main developer, Spec Projects. Intrastack, part of the Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions division, manufactured and delivered the light gauge steel frame (LGSF) system which saw three installers erect the seven-storey student accommodation block in just 10 weeks. The demand A recent report considered there to be a lack of purpose-built accommodation (PBSA) in Worcester, with the existing stock made up mainly of conversions, houses in multiple occupation (HMO) and existing halls[i]. With these low levels of vacant PBSA facilities in the city, the Images project aimed to provide modern rooms for the student population. With over 10,000 students at the University of Worcester, local plans to increase PBSA aim to reduce pressure on the on-street rental market in order to free up accommodation for families. Meanwhile, meeting the specific needs of students with purpose-built and managed schemes makes the city an attractive prospect to future learners. Tackling this feeds directly into Worcester’s City Plan 2022-2027, which outlines the ambition for building a wide mixture of good quality housing provisions to suit the full range of needs[ii] and target growth for the city. The project The old Images nightclub site, demolished late in 2021, now houses the new seven-storey accommodation. The building comprises five self-supporting storeys of light gauge steel frame panels atop a two-storey concrete base. The speed of construction was noticeable to onlookers, as the work took place over just 10 weeks – a reduction from the originally scheduled 12 weeks – and was noted as one of the reasons for the developers choosing LGSF for the project in the first place. The system also required fewer installers on-site at any given time, with the majority of the work completed by a team of three. Rapid turnaround of design and materials, as well as the speed of installation and safety benefits, were also indicated as reasons for going with off-site steel frame manufacture. Capitalising on LGSF’s shorter construction times can provide developers with a quicker return on investment, as students are able to move in sooner than they would be able to with a traditional build. The build site, which was first used over 150 years ago, is very restricted with limited space available for storage of the steel panels needed for the construction. Intrastack scheduled and delivered the panels to the site on a ‘just-in-time’ basis, working with the installer to ensure materials were on site as and when they were needed. This also reduced the waste on-site at any given time, with all system elements arriving cut to size. The results Andy Higson, Business Director at Intrastack, said: “The rise in purpose-built student accommodation is a win for everyone. Students benefit from spaces designed just for them while more homes are freed up for families, helping communities become more balanced. This year, PBSA in the UK has surpassed 30,000 rooms for the first time[iii], showing that there’s demand for this type of housing. “An off-site approach is essential to deliver on the scale required. LGSF systems can help developers to build accommodation faster while tackling on-site challenges such as safety risks and labour shortages. When you discover how much smoother it makes the process, it becomes a no-brainer. ” Paul Hazelwood, Contracts Manager at Intastruct, the system installers, said: “There’s no doubt that the steel frame system sped up the job, and allowed us to comfortably build a storey every two weeks. It’s a fast system, and incredibly robust. “I also found Intrastack a pleasure to work with. Glitches were minimal and ironed out immediately. In fact, we received great management and support from day one until after the project is complete. I would certainly recommend this system to other developers as the best way to build multi-storey projects.” For more information, visit www.intrastack.co.uk/ Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
