Forming part of the university’s new £330m Waterside campus, the development will provide 1,166 student bedrooms through a mix of four-storey townhouses and five-storey cluster flats. It will also house a 32-bed teaching hotel, commercial and ancillary space.
Construction on the scheme is due to begin later this year with completion scheduled for 2017. The first students are expected to move into the houses and flats at the start of the academic year in September.
This contract is the latest in a number of projects Kier has delivered in the area recently. Kier has previously worked with the University in delivering its £7.2m Innovation Centre and the £17.6m St John’s Halls of Residence scheme which delivered 468 student bedrooms.
Delivering this scheme also adds to Kier’s extensive experience in the student accommodation market. Kier is currently building more than 700 student bedrooms on schemes across the UK including in Durham, Aberdeen and Plymouth. It also recently completed the Lincoln Gateway scheme for the University of Lincoln which provides accommodation for 519 students.
Kier managing director Mark Dady said: “Being awarded this scheme is testament to the relationship we’ve built with the university over the past few years and we’re pleased to see this continue. We have a strong presence in Northampton and we’re looking forward to delivering another important scheme in the area. Kier has extensive experience in providing student accommodation across the country and this project gives us the opportunity to further enhance that.”
University of Northampton vice chancellor Nick Petford said: “The university are delighted to announce the appointment of Kier to build the residential area at the Waterside Campus. We have a successful track record of working with Kier, having worked with them to construct the St John’s halls of residences and the University of Northampton Innovation Centre, both located in the Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone.”
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