Plans for a 540-bed purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) in Birmingham City Centre by Vita Group in partnership with have been approved.

Birmingham City Council (BCC) Planning Committee, members approved the plans for the new Vita Student building on Gough Street/ Suffolk Street.

Famous for its ‘all in’ living experience which includes bills, events, breakfast and outstanding amenities, Vita Student Gough Street will feature 540 studio apartments along with private dining rooms, state-of-the-art gym, a vibrant hub space and outdoor terrace.

The planning committee report that members considered acknowledged the updated design and ongoing engagement with the neighbours and wider community, following the application’s deferral at the end of last year.

Graham Mitchell, Development Director at MRP said:

“The granting of planning for Gough Street is a very significant milestone in the delivery of this exciting new project which will provide safe, stylish student living in a prominent location in the city centre. The scheme directly meets the rising demand of student housing in the city and will help to alleviate the pressure on the city’s private housing market, by providing fully managed and purpose designed accommodation. We are thrilled to be working in partnership with VITA Group and are confident their signature design and best-in-class service offering will provide Birmingham’s growing population of students with the ideal environment in which to study, relax and thrive.”

MRP specialise in the creation of landmark sustainable developments across the UK and Ireland. This project builds upon MRP’s relationship with Vita Group which includes the recently opened Vita Student Cannon Park in Warwick and Vita Student Bruce Street in Belfast which is due to open in Summer 2023.

Following the completion of the new building, Vita Group will own, operate, and manage the building as Vita Student. A well-established student accommodation provider with sites across the UK and Europe, Vita Student already operates a site in Birmingham, the former BBC Pebble Mill site that opened in 2019.

Max Bielby, Chief Operating Officer for Vita Group said:

“We’re delighted to achieve planning consent for this exciting new development in Birmingham with MRP. Demand for high-quality PBSA within the city continues to outstrip supply, this in turn is creating wider pressures on the city’s housing infrastructure. Vita Student’s established reputation within the city for providing the best student living experience means there’s plenty of opportunity to deliver something special which helps to satisfy that need. We look forward to work getting underway over the coming months.”

The building is designed to be highly sustainable, meeting BREAAM ‘Very Good’ and car-free travel will be championed with Vita Student’s free resident bike hire and the site’s proximity to excellent rail, bus, and tram links.

Following today’s planning approval, construction is anticipated to begin in Summer 2023, with completion due for Summer 2026 to coincide with the start of the academic year.

Pupils at the school keeping an eye on construction as the block was built

Derwent Primary pupils are now learning in a brand-new teaching block named in honour of one of the school’s late governors.

The new 10-classroom block has now been named the Buttercup Block to commemorate the life of governor Leah McDermott, who passed away in 2020.

The Foundations’ 1968 pop hit ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ was one of her favourite songs and the school wanted to reference the track in creating a lasting memorial for future generations.

In 2021, the school became one of the first in Central Bedfordshire to change from a lower to a primary, as part of Central Bedfordshire Council’s Schools for the Future programme. The expansion will allow Derwent to increase its age range by two-year groups, from 3 -11 years, providing 60 pupil places in each year group, with a total of 480 places.

The next phase of the expansion project is now under way, with the remodelling of the existing school building, which is expected to be completed this spring.

As part of that refurbishment, Derwent Primary plan to name the newly created library after Caroline Coombs, a librarian who also passed away last year. Caroline served as Derwent Primary’s chair of governors, and it was Caroline who revealed in May 2022 the name of the Buttercup Block in a poignant speech to her “inspirational” predecessor during a time capsule burial ceremony.

Central Bedfordshire Council, executive member for families, education and children, Cllr Sue Clark, said: “It’s always an important milestone to see the completion of a school construction project, but we know that this carries extra significance for Derwent Primary as the Buttercup Block which is a beautiful name will forever be a memorable tribute to Leah McDermott.”And we also look forward to seeing the work completed on the remodelling of the existing building, where the library will be named in honour of Caroline Coombs. It is so thoughtful of the school to name these building after two wonderful members of the school community. I have no doubt that both environments will help inspire the learning of many generations to come, while helping to raise educational standards.”

Derwent Primary School’s executive head, Samantha Barlow, said:

“Derwent is truly 21st Century ready, with a modern, warm and vibrant set of buildings enabling us to teach an exceptional curriculum to our pupils. We look forward to being the school of choice for all our local primary pupils and aim to give them the best chance to learn and be exceptionally well educated children as they move onto secondary school.”Moomith Ullah, SMD Director, said: “It was an honour to be part of the Derwent Primary School expansion, in line with the Schools for the Future programme. We recognise how the completion of the construction works of the Buttercup Block is going to shape, inspire and develop the learning of future generations to come. This is something we imagine Leah McDermott would be championing for the children throughout Henlow before her unfortunate passing.”

Source: Biggleswade Today

Leicester College has received a £6,000 donation from the Leicestershire Joint Consultative Committee (LJCC) for the Building Industry to help fund the purchase of a new mortar mill to support a variety of students on Construction courses.

The mortar mill is a mixing and stirring machine for combining lime, sand, and other materials to make mortar for students to use. It will be located in the Construction Department at Leicester College’s Freemen’s Park Campus to be used by over 150 students during their studies each year.

The LJCC for the Building Industry is a local group made up of architects, engineers, builders and chartered surveyors, set up to promote best practice in the industry. It established a local Merit Awards for Craftsmanship scheme, and organised occasional site visits to further support and enhance learning for construction students.

John Townsend, a Chartered Surveyor and past chairman of the LJCC and a former Governor of Leicester College said:

“As long-term supporters of the College’s training schemes, the LJCC is pleased to be able to make this donation towards the purchase of this equipment, which will provide a lasting record highlighting the common interests of the College and the LJCC.”

Darren Roome, Director of Curriculum – Construction at Leicester College added:

“The new mortar mill is a fantastic addition to the range of industry-standard equipment available for Construction students at Leicester College to use. We needed an upgrade to our existing equipment and are very grateful to the LJCC for this generous and timely donation.”

Assurances have been given by a local council over a school building project after the main contractor went into administration.

Construction firm Tolent was involved in a £2.7m scheme to extend Kirkleatham Hall School, a special school on the outskirts of Redcar. Earlier this month, more than 300 people were made redundant by joint administrators overseeing the company, which has offices in Thornaby, Team Valley and Shotton Colliery, County Durham, who described “severe headwinds” plunging it into financial difficulties.

Another firm, Sunderland-based Brims Construction has since stepped in with a rescue package in a bid to save the posts of 150 staff. It said it was re-employing Tolent’s previous Teesside-based management team and working with former Tolent chairman and founder John Wood to restart work at some sites.

A spokesman for Redcar and Cleveland Council, which along with the Department for Education is funding the majority of the costs, said the main construction work at the school had nearly been completed. He said: “We are confident that the final works will be completed shortly.

“The council is working with relevant parties to ensure this is concluded swiftly and with minimal extra disruption to pupils in the coming weeks, despite Tolent Construction going into administration. The council will continue a dialogue with all parties involved, including administrators.”

Two new classrooms have already been added at the school and are now in use, 12 extra pupil places having been created in order to meet growing demand. The work to date has also resulted in a new facility being created to provide ‘rebound therapy’ for pupils – this uses trampolines to provide enhanced movement, therapeutic positioning and for exercise and recreation.

Last month, headteacher Paul McLean said it had been a

“challenging time” managing students’ needs during the ongoing project, but once complete it would provide further exceptional opportunities for young learners. It was hoped the work, which began in November 2021, and also entails a doubling in size of the school hall, new offices and other ancillary facilities, would be fully completed by September in time for a new intake of pupils.

Source: Teeside Live