Student accommodation scheme on site of stricken private school moves forward

A student accommodation scheme being built on the site of a former private school, which went into administration in 2016, is moving forward.

The scheme started on site at the former Dagfa School in Beeston, Nottingham last Summer and is set to complete on schedule in August ready for the start of the 2019 academic year.

Nottingham-based Focus Consultants is undertaking multiple roles on the project which is being developed by Cassidy Group Nottingham.

Focus Consultants is acting as quantity surveyor and employer’s agent on the project to create the three student accommodation blocks which will provide 217 student beds.

Being constructed by J Tomlinson, the accommodation is a mix of 12-bed townhouses and cluster flats.

Focus, which is based at Phoenix Business Park, Nottingham, is also the project manager, quantity surveyor and principal designer for the conversion and refurbishment of the Grade II Dagfa House into 19 student studios.

Senior project manager at Focus, Joanne Hardwicke, said: “The site of the former Dagfa School is on the doorstep of the University of Nottingham campus and Beeston town centre, and this scheme will provide fantastic new student accommodation.

“Focus Consultants works on developments across the East Midlands and the UK, in many sectors, but it is very pleasing to be involved in a scheme such as this in our home city.”

In 2016, Dagfa School fell into administration after pupil numbers fell and its headteacher left for an alternative job.

The Beeston Educational Trust, which ran the school, called in administrators from FRP Advisory after pupil numbers fell to 169 and were projected to drop even further in the academic year 16/17.

Some 33 people were made redundant.

The Dagfa school entered administration owing £162,016, including £140,000 to its employees and £3,515 to Broxtowe Borough Council. Administrators recovered a surplus of £244,675.

Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
Close