Wales construction firm opco has won a £7.5m student accommodation contract in Cardiff and Exeter.
The Wales and West construction firm will create a combined total student accommodation of 182 beds with 79 at Summit House, Windsor Place, Cardiff and 103 at Sidwell Street in Exeter.
The two contracts, which are running in tandem, are for the same client Prime Student Housing (Exeter) LLP.
The £3.5m Cardiff contract, at 9-10 Windsor Place, is due for completion by the end of this year while the £4m Exeter work will be finished by next summer.
The Summit House work involves demolition new construction and refurbishment of the existing building to form new student accommodation and associated services.
While the Exeter scheme also involves the demolition and the construction of a new building to form 103 bed student accommodation but includes the creation of a shell only ground floor retail unit at 69 – 73 Sidwell Street.
opco’s Regional Director Nigel Coulter said: “We’re delighted to be working with Prime Student Housing to deliver what will be first rate, 21st century standard accommodation for students attending and studying at the world-renowned centres of learning in the cities of Cardiff and Exeter.”
Mr Coulter believes student accommodation could well be a fruitful niche area of potential future growth for opco.
Both of the schemes are within close proximity of universities in the two cities and will each offer studio and cluster accommodation with on site gym, games room, cinema, meeting and common room facilities.
Summit House will be ready to accept its first students in January 2013 while Sidwell Street, Exeter will receive its first intake in September 2013.
The architect for both schemes is RPA Architecture Ltd while the structural engineers are Shear Design Ltd.
