Project Details

Customer:   Victoria Hall Management Limited

Value:   £33.9M

Duration:  30 months

Completion Date:  September 2020

Contract Type:  JCT Design & Build 2011  

Procurement Type:  Competitive 2 stage tender

GIFA:  14,517m2

 

 

Achievements

• CCS scores 40/50, 42/50, 43/50 and 44/50
• BREEAM Excellent
• Worked to an Employment & Skills Pan (ESP)

 

Project Summary

Midas completed the design and construction of an 11-storey student accommodation block in the centre of Southampton. Located in the heart of the city, the accommodation offers easy access to public transport, music and cultural venues for student residents. The project features three room types: standard en-suite, standard studio and deluxe studio. Shared facilities include study rooms, a multimedia room, an onsite gym with 15 stations, common rooms, a laundrette and secure bicycle storage for up to 190 bikes. Available for hire are a kitchen, dining room and roof terrace with paving and planters.

The building provides 527 student bedrooms over 10 floors, with a ground floor for common rooms, management suite and ancillary areas. The structure is a concrete frame with continuous flight auger piled foundations, brick cladding and aluminium windows. Works included a turnkey solution with full internal fit out and M&E, external landscaping and Section 278 works to the highway. The team managed this high profile, constrained site through bespoke traffic management plans, noise and vibration monitoring and frequent communication with those affected by the works.

The project achieved BREEAM Excellent, maximising benefits to the environment and engaging with the local community by working to an Employment and Skills Plan and adding £12 million of value to the local economy through social return on investment.

 

Social Value

The site worked to an Employment & Skills Plan (ESP) surpassing targets to provide 15 work placements for students and those not in education (target 10); creating eight apprentice positions; creating 11 jobs for unemployed persons (target 6) plus one graduate position; supporting 34 Construction Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (CCIAG) events (target 7) including works with Solent University and local schools; delivering 583 waged training weeks for apprentices and the workforce (target 234); and supporting 26 industry qualifications and training plans (target 22).

Midas significantly over-achieved the CCIAG events target, working closely with Solent University to deliver guest lectures, having a presence at graduate fairs and providing site tours for students. Civil engineering students from Solent University used this project as a case study for their degree projects. The team also attended careers assemblies and careers fairs with seven local schools, worked with a wide group of partners ranging from schools, employment support teams, colleges and universities and delivered a varied programme to demonstrate commitment to our support of careers engagement.