Edge Hill University
£7 million
August 2015
September 2016
Identity Consult were appointed by Edge Hill University to provide Project Management services for the delivery of student residences on the University’s Central Campus. The 144 room scheme in four halls of residence are set in clusters of four, six or eight rooms which share a kitchen and dining area.
On this development, Identity Consult’s project management involvement was from inception to completion and our input was focussed on project governance, stakeholder planning and engagement, procurement of the client’s design team, programming of pre-construction activities, monitoring and control of progress of both the design and construction phases against programme, as well as handover and project closure.
The Palatine Court development provided a high quality facility, with a construction programme that was delivered in 22 weeks, with an exceptional cost per bedroom unit rate. Following recent benchmarking exercises across the HE sector, the University have achieved 20% betterment in terms of cost and 70% betterment in terms of programme. The University has achieved substantial savings against similar projects undertaken externally and this is demonstrated by comparators in the construction market. This has provided excellent value for money and the savings and reduced programme has enabled the University to accelerate the development programme and access early rental.
Identity Consult undertook consultation exercises with student residents on campus, which led to improvement in the design and specification from previous residential phases. Based on the halls questionnaire completed in December 2016, 97.34% of 113 respondents indicated that Palatine Court was excellent value for money. Importantly, of the respondents, 96.46% provided positive comments to describe their residential life.
These facilities are some of the best in the sector for students to enjoy a safe and secure living environment underpinned by being voted the best value for money student accommodation in the UK (National Student Housing Survey Awards 2017).
I would not hesitate to recommend Identity Consult as a provider of Project Management and Employer’s Agent services. Their ability to foster a sense of teamwork and motivate our professional team of consultants, contractors and sub-contractors, allied with their strategic focus and can do attitude, means they are a key factor in the successful delivery of the University’s Capital Programme.
David Oldham, Director of Capital Developments, Edge Hill University