Major construction milestone progresses on multi-million pound student village development

Left- right are Mark McNamee, Managing Director, Cityheart Ltd.; Peter Dodd, Senior Project Manager, Vinci Construction UK Ltd. with Professor John G Hughes, Vice Chancellor conducting the ‘topping out’ and John Roberts, Vinci Construction UK.The £38m St Mary’s Halls Student Accommodation development for Bangor University has recently passed a crucial milestone with the project team from VINCI achieving its highest point of construction with completion of the last of the steel frame and roof on the numerous new buildings on the development.

To mark the occasion, the University performed a “Topping Out” ceremony on site at St Mary’s Student Village, Santes Fair, Bangor to mark this key construction milestone.

The development will provide 602 new student rooms created across seven buildings together with social and administration facilities within a modern campus environment.

The scheme is being developed by a consortium comprising Chester based Cityheart Ltd with delivery partner VINCI Construction UK Ltd and CRM Ltd.

University Vice Chancellor Professor John G Hughes said:
“This marks an important stage in our ambitions to further develop the excellent student facilities at Bangor University. This will allow us to accommodate more of our students in University-managed facilities rather than in local housing. Delivering all the facilities that today’s students would expect to see on a modern residential campus, the new student village will have a real sense of community.”

Peter Dodd, Senior Project Manager, Vinci Construction UK Ltd. with Professor John G Hughes Bangor University Vice Chancellor and Professor Carol Tully Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students).Mark McNamee of Cityheart said:  “This is another exciting milestone for the project, which is further proof that the ‘partnering approach’ adopted by Bangor University, Vinci and Cityheart is paying dividends on this project.”

Peter Dodd, Project Manager from VINCI, said:

“Completing this crucial stage in the build is a significant landmark on the project with all the steel frame and roofs in place, the team can move forward and concentrate on finishing internally on what promises to be excellent student accommodation and a unique village concept and facilities for the University.”

Work commenced on site in April 2014 and handover of the site will commence in July 2015 with students taking up residence from September

Publication date: 14 May 2015