Salford chooses team for £64m student halls job

A consortium including contractors Kier and Graham has won the £64m job to build a new 1,400-room student accommodation complex at the University of Salford.

The university said its major new student halls project will be delivered by the Salford Villages Consortium, which comprises Kier Property and Graham Investment Projects, and student accommodation operator Campus Living Villages.

Work on the project at the university’s Peel Park campus is expected to start in November and will involve building three tower blocks up to 10 storeys high.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Martin Hall said: ” The project is a central part of our regeneration plans to offer a student experience that’s second to none in the UK.”

The new accommodation forms parts of an ambitious plan to redevelop the University of Salford campus.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Martin Hall said: “The brand new accommodation and excellent onsite facilities will enhance campus life by providing a fantastic base for our students. It’s a central part of our regeneration plans to offer a student experience that’s second to none in the UK.”

Sean McKeown, Commercial Director at Campus Living Villages, said: “The accommodation will provide modern student living within a green on-campus environment. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with the University of Salford as we continue to enhance the student experience for our customers.”

The accommodation will be open to students from the 2015/16 academic year when it will be managed by Campus Living Villages.