Construction work

Tender description

Durham University (the “University”) has developed a new University Strategy (2017-2027) that envisages growth in the number of students who will require College accommodation. Overall, it is anticipated that there will be growth of approximately 6 000 students, mostly undergraduates. This number will include c. 1 700 students who are being relocated from the Queen’s Campus in Stockton-on-Tees, as the University seeks to consolidate its education and research activities onto the Durham City campus. As part of a supporting strategy of estate development, the University has identified a need for additional student residential accommodation. To deliver part of this additional need the University has acquired the Mount Oswald site with the benefit of outline planning consent for 1 000 bedspaces. As a Collegiate University, colleges form a major part of the delivery of the wider student experience, and therefore the University is looking to deliver the new accommodation at Mount Oswald through the design and construction of 2 new colleges, each of approximately 500 self-catered student bedrooms, plus associated college and wider University facilities, including a hub building and multi-use games area. This procurement brings to the market the opportunity to take forward the delivery of the 2 new colleges and the associated facilities on the basis of a design, build, finance and operate model. The Mount Oswald site is well located close to other colleges, the Durham University Business School (DUBS) and the main university campus. The new accommodation will include a mixture of en-suite and shared bathroom bedrooms arranged in cluster flats and town houses to meet the varying needs of the college students, including first year and returning under-graduate and post-graduate students. An important element will be the provision of social and study space, together with college and university facilities. The University’s preference is for the delivery of both colleges as early as possible, with at least 700 bedrooms, plus all the associated college and wider university facilities. Ongoing operation of the colleges will include the successful bidder delivering hard FM services and some or all of the soft FM services, with the university delivering any balance.