St Mary’s student halls development

A consortium of three companies has been selected to develop Bangor University’s residential site at St Mary’s. Investment of over £30million will bring new life to a site that has largely been disused for many years.

The University’s aim is to respond to demand from second and third year students who want to live in halls, whilst also allowing it to close the older halls on the Normal site. This new development of 600 rooms will allow the University to close 200 rooms built in the 1960’s on the Normal site.

Currently, many second and third year students apply to be accommodated in University managed halls, but due to insufficient capacity they must turn to the private rented sector throughout the city.

University Pro-Vice Chancellor, Professor Carol Tully said: “The new rooms will include all the facilities that today’s students would expect to see on a modern residential campus. It will offer students the best in in comfort and design with a café bar, shop, laundrette and sports and fitness facilities all on site. At the heart of the design is a commitment to provide a real sense of community with an enhanced social and living space environment.”

Professor Tully added: “By developing the St Mary’s site the University will make sustainable use of existing property and construct BREAAM excellent buildings, meeting today’s increasing environmental expectations. The development will also incorporate an electric bike scheme to encourage sustainable forms of transport.”

In addition to retaining the original Quadrangle and 1906 buildings, the development will create a fantastic mix of shared facilities around a new ‘village square’ at the heart of the community. The three companies selected as preferred bidders to develop the project are Cityheart Ltd who are leading the project, Vinci Construction UK Ltd, and CRM Ltd. The architects are FaulknerBrowns. A planning application will be submitted shortly. Subject to planning permissions, the work is expected to be completed by September 2015 with demolition works starting in spring 2014.

During the development the Consortium has pledged to support the local community and economy by committing to new apprenticeships, work placements, and community schemes.

Publication date: 20 January 2014