Transformation of university campus

The University of Leeds is transforming its campus by investing more than £300M in a host of new state of the art educational research, residential and leisure facilities.

The programme represents one of the biggest capital investment projects in British higher education. Swathes of the University’s grounds will be remodelled to improve access and ensure a better working environment, new buildings will be erected and a number of existing properties are to be upgraded.

One of the main elements of this scheme is the construction of two new student accommodation blocks – one eight storeys high and the other six storeys. Atlas Ward Structures has been appointed by local construction company Morgan Ashurst to provide steelwork, totalling 750t, for this £27.1M project.

The new accommodation blocks, which form part of Charles Morris Halls, will include 457 en-suite bedrooms, as well as shared kitchens and lounge areas. The buildings, which are expected to be completed in the Summer of 2010, will replace the Mary Ogilvie block which was demolished earlier this year.

The 120-year old campus is one of the largest self contained city centre university campuses in the UK. Two thirds of the campus is within designated conservation areas, and extensive work has gone into ensuring the new developments will be sympathetic to the environment.

All of the new buildings, which also include a laboratory building, childcare centre, swimming pool and leisure centre, a library and an energy building, will contain environmentally friendly cutting edge green technologies.