University of York Student Accommodation

Supporting the University of York’s “Campus for the Future” masterplan, we are delivering a major 1480-bed student accommodation project. The £130m flagship scheme, which will help to transform the Heslington East Campus, began in November 2019 with the scheduled completion of phase 1 to be ahead of the 2021 academic year. We have adopted an off-site modular solution for our construction programme, a methodology that brings enhanced quality and delivery confidence to the ambitious residential scheme. In addition to influencing design in partnership with Sheppard Robson (architects), and executing the project build, we were also a key project investor as part of a consortium.

The University of York Student Accommodation Project will act as a stimulus for the university’s student recruitment strategy while meeting the accommodation demands of its expanding global student body. The location was carefully chosen to strengthen the link between two campuses (Campus East and Campus West) while maximising views of the lake and surrounding parkland. Significantly, we are utilising a state-of-the-art off-site manufacturing facility, located in the north of England, to deliver the scheme. This will enhance quality, safety and sustainability. Key elements of the development include modular external sandwich panels, prefabricated steel bathroom pods, and pre-assembled services distribution racks. Our solution of 1400 units features a room mix of 10% economy, 75% standard and 15% premium, and is based on a cluster arrangement. It is worth noting that our innovative proposal exceeded the university’s brief, as the overall bedroom count delivers over 200 more additional rooms in comparison with the minimum requirements.