As part of a multi-million pound investment programme dedicated to the redevelopment of the campus, 1,367 bedrooms with ensuite facilities at the campus located in Peel Park will be constructed. There will be a separate kitchen and lounge for every apartment, and the complex itself will include a cinema, gym, TV and games room, group study lounges, onsite shops, restaurants and cafés.
The accommodation is designed to be sustainable and energy-efficient with an ultimate aim of acquiring an excellent BREEAM rating, which is the standard environmental assessment method for buildings.
Salford Village consortium - comprising investment companies Equitix and Kier Project Investment, Graham Investment Projects and student accommodation operator Campus Living Villages – is responsible for the implementation of the project using the financing provided by Standard Like Investments.
Graham Construction will undertake the building works, while Campus Living Villages will manage the development in place of the consortium when it opens to students in September 2015.
Salford University and its partners are investing a total of £136m in the campus throughout the next two and a half years. Last month BAM Construction has commenced with the construction of the state-of-the-art £55m ‘Gateway Project’, which will include a theatre, recording and photography studios, café areas, performance and rehearsal spaces, computer suites and lecture theatres. The Gateway Project is expected to open in early 2016, shortly after the completion of the new student accommodation.
Last year the University invested £9m into refurbishment and extension of its Chapman Building, and a £1m into renovation of its library services over the summer.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Martin Hall said: “Our new student accommodation will, alongside our other major investments, create a studying and living environment which will be second to none.
“Set next to the historical Peel Park and within walking distance to the centre of the vibrant city of Manchester, students will be catered for like never before.”
Sean McKeown, Commercial Director at Campus Living Villages, commented: “Campus Living Village’s sole business is student accommodation and as a global provider we have a highly experienced team that understands how to deliver the best in student residences to a highly international market.
“We look forward to strengthening our partnership with the University of Salford to continue to enhance the student experience for our customers.”
Photo: Manchester Evening News
