NATIONAL property developer Sladen Estates has announced the appointment of Mark Nicholson as a development director. Mark brings with him 15 years’ experience in the property industry, working across multiple sectors from industrial to residential, accruing particular success in the student accommodation sector. Mark said: “Sladen Estates is working on
A SITE that is smaller than the length of a double decker bus and comes with its own kayak is the latest challenging project to be taken on by construction firm Stepnell. The construction of Boulevard Wharf in Nottingham – comprised of 76 student accommodation studios – is one of
Two tower cranes have been delivered on a site in Coventry where the development of new student accommodation is taking place. UNINN Parkside Development’s scheme will see 502 en-suite, mix of studio & cluster bedrooms constructed within three towers – six, 13 and 19-storeys high. The 19th floor will house a
A topping out ceremony has taken place at a new £19 million student accommodation scheme in Sheffield city centre, which is being built by Clegg Construction. The event was held to mark the build reaching its highest point and was attended by representatives from Clegg Construction, Future Generation and Axis
Construction work is underway at a new sustainable student accommodation for King’s College, University of Cambridge, the first of its kind in the city. The development, situated in existing College grounds on Cranmer Road, will provide 59 graduate rooms built across two new accommodation buildings to create a unified campus
J Tomlinson is undertaking £4m of refurbishment work on student accommodation blocks at the University of Warwick. The scheme is the second completed for the university by the Nottingham-based firm and follows a £1m refurbishment project at the Avon building on the Westwood Campus. In addition, the company has also
A new 306-home student accommodation development in Acton, west London, approached completion and it now stands at 7-storeys, offering 306 studio apartments complete with communal spaces including a café, student lounge, arcade and gym. Developed by Tide Construction and its offsite manufacturing company Vision Modular Systems, Chapter White City is
GRAHAM has won a £113 million contract for the construction of a new 1,400 bed student accommodation project for the University of York. The main contractor will complete the first phase residential expansion of the Heslington East Campus, which involves the development of high-specification student living and communal space. “This
Unite Students, the UK’s leading manager and developer of student accommodation, has been granted a planning approval to develop a 928-bed student accommodation development in Leeds. The site, located on Merrion Way in the city centre, is close to both the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University. The site would
A new 586-bed student accommodation scheme in Sheffield is to be delivered by ISG. The £33 million project is close to the two universities in Sheffield, fronting onto Ecclesall Road, and it is designed by developer Valeo. “We are delighted to partner with ISG to create our latest student community
NATIONAL property developer Sladen Estates has announced the appointment of Mark Nicholson as a development director. Mark brings with him 15 years’ experience in the property industry, working across multiple sectors from industrial to residential, accruing particular success in the student accommodation sector. Mark said: “Sladen Estates is working on some really transformative schemes at the moment and I’m thrilled to join the team at such an exciting time. I’m looking forward to drawing on my previous experience and contributing to the delivery of high standard developments throughout the UK.” Mark will be working with the development team on the delivery of developments across Sladen Estates’ portfolio, with particular focus on private rented sector (PRS), build-to-rent (BTR) and student accommodation. The company currently has a forward development portfolio of £800m, including HMRC’s new 276,600 sqft East Midlands regional centre at Unity Square, Nottingham. Nick Sladen, chief executive of Sladen Estates, said: “Mark’s experience speaks for itself and we’re very pleased to welcome him into our senior team as we expand and celebrate our 20th anniversary. We very much look forward to working with him on the delivery of various projects throughout the country.” Celebrating two decades in business this year, Sladen Estates is a commercial property development company operating nationally in the industrial, offices, retail, PRS and student accommodation sectors. For more information, please visit www.sladenestates.co.uk.
A SITE that is smaller than the length of a double decker bus and comes with its own kayak is the latest challenging project to be taken on by construction firm Stepnell. The construction of Boulevard Wharf in Nottingham – comprised of 76 student accommodation studios – is one of the most complex jobs taken on by the contractor to date due to the unusual dimensions of the 11-metre-wide site and its proximity to the city’s canal. Because of this, a kayak forms part of the team’s emergency rescue procedure, meaning that any items that inadvertently fall into the canal can be retrieved. Shaun Moses, site manager for Stepnell, said: “It is certainly one of the more unusual sites we’ve worked on. Along with the obvious issues that come with building so close to the canal edge brings, the overall site is just 11 metres wide, meaning that day-to-day operations must be very carefully managed. “With incredibly tight boundaries and the buildings themselves designed to fill the entirety of its footprint, the site is a real challenge, but the team has worked closely with the developers from an early stage to create a solution that is workable and allows the whole operation to run smoothly.” The project sees the studios spread across three buildings providing views over the canal and towards the city of Nottingham. Designed by MAS Architecture, the scheme will also feature high-spec communal areas, including an on-site gym and movie room. Tom Sewell, East Midlands’ regional director at Stepnell, said: “The story of this site is really one of collaboration. Our team worked extensively with the client through the design development process in order to design and manage a project that met a high standard in terms of appearance and finishes – all while working to the budget and the challenges the site provides.” Muthar Al-Salloum, managing director of MAS Architecture, said: “This is a prestigious development that we are really pleased to deliver. Boulevard Wharf will provide much-needed contemporary student accommodation within Nottingham city centre and the scheme is one of only a few self-contained student accommodation developments in the city – providing all the necessary facilities onsite – thus creating a homely and luxurious environment for students to thrive in.” To find out more about Stepnell visit: www.stepnell.co.uk or join the conversation at @Stepnellltd
Two tower cranes have been delivered on a site in Coventry where the development of new student accommodation is taking place. UNINN Parkside Development’s scheme will see 502 en-suite, mix of studio & cluster bedrooms constructed within three towers – six, 13 and 19-storeys high. The 19th floor will house a rooftop lounge terrace. UNNIN Parkside Development has been working with Winvic Construction, who completed this recent milestone, to refine the design and solve engineering challenges for the last six months. “Winvic has been making excellent progress on Parkside and their knowledge of city-centre, high-rise developments is evident. Already there is a buzz about Coventry’s next luxury student accommodation provision and we look forward to welcoming students into their new rooms in summer 2020. Together with Winvic, we’re confident to exceed expectations,” said Andrew Jamieson, Managing Director of UNINN Parkside Development. So far, the piling for the 5 metre deep basement, which will provide a gym, laundry, cinema, karaoke room and communal lounge for tenants and a plant room/energy centre, has been completed. On the ground floor there is also planned a 100 m2 of retail space. Ground works are underway with the first pile caps and beams installed. Following this will be the storm water attenuation measures, blue roof tanking over basement areas and erection of the steel framed building will. A combination of brick slips and rainscreen cladding will make up the external façade’s striking design, and the interior will take shape with high quality finishes throughout, meeting the demands of the luxury student living market. Delivered on a turnkey service by Winvic, additionally comprising works to the existing highway and the creation of 160 bicycle spaces, the 95 week project will ready for habitation in August 2020.
A topping out ceremony has taken place at a new £19 million student accommodation scheme in Sheffield city centre, which is being built by Clegg Construction. The event was held to mark the build reaching its highest point and was attended by representatives from Clegg Construction, Future Generation and Axis Architecture. A total of 324 rooms will be delivered as part of the Steel City scheme, which is being built for Future Generation in the city’s St Vincent’s Quarter. As part of a new build ranging between three and five storeys, a mix of cluster flats and studio flats will be provided and 247 beds will be delivered. An existing Grade II listed building dating back to 1833 is also being redeveloped and refurbished providing a further 77 beds. Other facilities will include reception, laundry, security office, fitness studio and rooftop terrace with café bar. Designed by Axis Architecture, the buildings will be finished mainly in brick with natural slate pitched roofs; the buildings will be highly sustainable with a CHP energy centre and green and brown roofs. The new development is situated on Hollis Croft close to the University of Sheffield’s School of Engineering. “We are delighted that the Steel City build has reached its highest point and we are on track to complete the building in time for the start of the 2019 academic year. We have delivered a number of high quality student accommodation developments across the UK and this is one of the biggest projects we have worked on so far,” said Simon Blackburn, Clegg Construction Managing Director. Clegg Construction has already delivered 1,400 rooms across Sheffield, including Provincial House in nearby Solly Street which completed for the 2017-18 academic year. The company has also completed student accommodation across Leicester, Birmingham, Nottingham and Cambridge, and is currently on site delivering nearly another 1,000 beds across three further sites.
Construction work is underway at a new sustainable student accommodation for King’s College, University of Cambridge, the first of its kind in the city. The development, situated in existing College grounds on Cranmer Road, will provide 59 graduate rooms built across two new accommodation buildings to create a unified campus around a shared garden, which is also a short walk from the College’s historic courts. The student housing will be built to a Passivhaus standard, a sustainable housing initiative, resulting in ultra-low energy buildings which require very little fuel for heating or cooling. “We are delighted to have been given permission to develop this sustainable building on College land. It will provide much-needed accommodation for our graduates and foster the growth of a community spirit on the site,” said Philip Isaac, the Domus Bursar at King’s College. R G Carter will be building the student accommodation, having become one of the UK’s leading Passivhaus homebuilders, through continued investment, upskilling of its workforce and expertise demonstrated across a number of award winning developments. “We are delighted to collaborate with King’s College on this exciting innovative scheme. Our focus is on delivering a successful project and providing quality sustainable accommodation that will serve students for many years to come,” said John Ford, R G Carter Director and General Manager. Each accommodation block will reflect the surroundings in a contemporary way. Cranmer Villa will incorporate red brick walls, clay roof tiles and stone windows that reflects a style with neighbouring buildings, while The Garden building has been designed to blend into the conservation of the area, with a glazed terracotta cladding and a sustainable ‘green’ roof. It is expected that students will take up occupation in Autumn 2019.
J Tomlinson is undertaking £4m of refurbishment work on student accommodation blocks at the University of Warwick. The scheme is the second completed for the university by the Nottingham-based firm and follows a £1m refurbishment project at the Avon building on the Westwood Campus. In addition, the company has also won a £900,000 contract to replace windows at the university’s conference centre, Scarman, which began at the beginning of August. The latest project involves the full redecoration of around 250 bedrooms and bathrooms, along with communal and circulation spaces, at two of the Arthur Vick accommodation blocks on the university’s main campus in Coventry. This scheme will see major improvement works undertaken within the halls of residence, including the installation of new aluminum windows and en-suite shower rooms, full rewiring of lighting, and new floor coverings throughout each block. It will also include the replacement of sanitary ware, new plumbing and extractor fans to en-suites, fire stopping works, small power, data cabling, sub-mains cabling and fire alarm works, along with a new heat exchanger and ancillary works to the mechanical plant. Work got under way in July and is expected to be completed ready for the start of the new term in early September, in accordance with a 10-week fast-track programme. The contract, which was won following a tender, is being delivered by J Tomlinson’s commercial refurbishment and regeneration teams. J Tomlinson’s construction director, Pete Woods, who heads the refurbishment team, said: “This is our second refurbishment project for the University of Warwick, and follows an earlier scheme at the Westwood Campus. “It is always a ringing endorsement of the standard of work achieved when a client appoints a second and subsequent contract, and J Tomlinson is delighted to once again be supporting the University of Warwick as it invests in and improves its facilities for students.” J Tomlinson, which also has a West Midlands office in Canwell, completed the refurbishment of the Avon building for the university in February this year. It included revamping a café and the Centre for Lifelong Learning, and creating an editing suite, a drama room, green room, family room, and toilets. Jonathon Buckingham, Senior Projects Manager at the University of Warwick, added: “The services-led refurbishment being undertaken at Arthur Vick 1 & 2 will significantly improve the standard of student and conference accommodation for 250 bedrooms and provide the buildings with brand new infrastructure.” J Tomlinson, which was founded in the 1950s, provides a range of integrated building solutions including construction, refurbishment, repairs and maintenance, mechanical and electrical services (M&E), and facilities management. The company operates primarily across the East Midlands, West Midlands and Yorkshire. It works across all major sectors, including student accommodation, healthcare, social housing, commercial and industrial. For more information about J Tomlinson, visit www.jtomlinson.co.uk.
A new 306-home student accommodation development in Acton, west London, approached completion and it now stands at 7-storeys, offering 306 studio apartments complete with communal spaces including a café, student lounge, arcade and gym. Developed by Tide Construction and its offsite manufacturing company Vision Modular Systems, Chapter White City is located on the site of the former Savoy Cinema. “Chapter White City is a fitting tribute to the famous cinema that once stood on the site, and the students that have chosen to make Acton their home will bring a vibrancy to this historic gateway to central London. Our work here with Vision and HTA is testimony to the versatility of modular construction and what it can deliver throughout London and the rest of the country, in both the residential sector, the hotel sector and the student sector,” said Christy Hayes, chief executive officer at Tide Construction. Manufactured by Vision in their purpose-built factory in Bedford, the modules used precision engineering production line techniques designed to streamline the process and deliver a quality end-product at a faster pace of construction. “Chapter White City is a stunning new addition to our growing London student portfolio, completed in time for the start of the 2019 academic year this September. Vision and Tide have perfected the art of modular construction, with Chapter White City standing as proof of the high-quality craftsmanship which can now be achieved by this innovative construction method,” said Troy Tomasik, Managing Director – Investments at Greystar. In addition, Tide and Vision Modular Systems are also onsite in Holloway delivering a 257-home student accommodation scheme for Chapter. Tide Construction Limited is a unique development and contracting company, utilising both traditional and Offsite Manufacturing Methodologies (OSM). The team provides full turnkey building solutions using highly advanced offsite techniques and are market leaders in modular construction.
GRAHAM has won a £113 million contract for the construction of a new 1,400 bed student accommodation project for the University of York. The main contractor will complete the first phase residential expansion of the Heslington East Campus, which involves the development of high-specification student living and communal space. “This is another fantastic win for GRAHAM and builds on our strong pipeline of projects in the region following the opening of our Leeds office in 2017,” said Michael Graham, Group Executive Chairman. “We are committed to providing outstanding student accommodation and the 1400 units delivered across the first phase of this project will bring our total output in the sector to more than 10,000 in the past five years,” he continued. Construction work is scheduled to start in January 2019, with the project expected to be completed in two years. After the first phase an addition 800 bed unit will be developed as part of Phase 2. The scheme is hoped to act as a stimulus for the University of York’s student recruitment strategy, while meeting the accommodation demands of an expanding global student body. “We look forward to developing this fantastic scheme and the positive impact it will have on the local community, creating opportunities for work and engagement with local businesses as we construct a high-class development that reflects York’s strong heritage,” said Michael. The project will utilise a state-of-the-art offsite manufacturing facility located in Byley, South Manchester. GRAHAM is a privately owned company with an impressive history built on integrity and responsibility. It became a private limited company in 1955 and 30 years after it set foot in England. Since then, it has grown steadily and significantly, becoming a leading player in all areas of construction throughout the UK and Ireland. GRAHAM now operates from 23 regional offices in the UK and Ireland.
Unite Students, the UK’s leading manager and developer of student accommodation, has been granted a planning approval to develop a 928-bed student accommodation development in Leeds. The site, located on Merrion Way in the city centre, is close to both the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University. The site would increase Unite’s Leeds portfolio to 4,376 beds, serving a student population of 58,000, and further enhancing Unite’s operating efficiency in the city. In the last five years, Unite’s occupancy in the city has been 99% with over 1,800 beds subject to nominations agreements with Leeds universities. The development will generate a development yield in line with our target returns and will be funded from internally generated sources. It is expected to be open for the 2020 academic year. The transaction reflects Unite’s strategy of aligning its property portfolio with high-ranking universities where student numbers are growing whilst underpinning further earnings growth. Nick Hayes, Group Property Director, Unite Students said: “Leeds is a strong performing market, with a diverse and growing student population. With two high quality Universities, we expect demand for quality, affordable student accommodation to grow and this development will help to fulfil that need.”
A new 586-bed student accommodation scheme in Sheffield is to be delivered by ISG. The £33 million project is close to the two universities in Sheffield, fronting onto Ecclesall Road, and it is designed by developer Valeo. “We are delighted to partner with ISG to create our latest student community building in Sheffield. Our staff is excited about bringing Valeo’s new brand of student experience to the thriving city of Sheffield,” said Peter Haspel, Managing Director of Valeo Management. The 14-storey building will include high-specification and spacious communal facilities, as well as a central club lounge with extensive balcony on the ninth floor overlooking the city, along with a lounge and study space, a café, private dining, cinema and gym. Accommodation is configured around four, five and six bed clusters, as well as a number of studio apartments – all with en-suite facilities. Each bedroom will also benefit from advanced technologies, such as super-fast Wi-Fi available in all rooms. The demolition of an existing garage structure on the site has already been concluded by ISG and the firm is now set to begin building the concrete frame building, featuring traditional masonry with brick feature panels to its façade. In addition, the contractor will also create car parking spaces for seven retail units, which will occupy the ground floor of the new building. “The global popularity of our higher education institutions sees demand at record levels for places and high-quality student accommodation at our top universities. Purpose-built student residential facilities play a hugely important role in the overall housing mix within our cities, and this major project signifies that Valeo has ambitious development plans across the UK,” said Tim Harvey, Regional Director for ISG. The scheme is expected to approach completion in summer 2019.
