Building briefs: Opal to build in Devon; Pochin fits out Abode; and more…
STUDENT accommodation specialist Opal Property Group has won planning permission for a new £6.8m hall in Devon.
The four-block hall close to the University of Exeter will house 214 students.
Manchester-based Opal’s sister company, Kudos Development Services, will develop and manage the site. It is expected to be finished by September 2010.
Kudos is now in negotiation with other universities and banks to manage developments on their behalf.
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POCHIN Construction has been awarded a £2.4m contract to fit-out of the ABode Hotel at Liberty’s HQ Chester scheme.
Located on the site of the former Cheshire Constabulary headquarters overlooking Roodee racecourse, HQ Chester comprises 35 residential apartments, 60,000 sq ft of offices and a number of restaurants, in addition to the four-star, 85-bed ABode hotel.
On the sixth floor there will be three additional suites, known as the ‘fabulous suites’, which will be more spacious, with a private balcony with views over the city, Chester Castle and internal piazza.
Pochin will also be fitting out the fifth floor, which will be home to a Michael Caines Restaurant and Champagne Bar, and be installing a microgym for hotel guests.
Jon Pochin, managing director of Pochin Construction, said: “We have been committed to this project from day one and have worked collaboratively overcoming any obstacles and delivering the scheme on time and to the client’s satisfaction.”
Work on the fit out has begun and is due to complete in February 2010.
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CB Richard Ellis is marketing land in Liverpool previously used as a pharmaceutical production facility by drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline.
Plots have already been sold to VW Golf and Travis Perkins and the remaining 3.38 acres is available as individual plots or as a whole. It is being marketed to developers and investors.
Jonathan Thorne of CBRE’s industrial agency team said: “We have branded the site South Liverpool Trade Park. We believe this will help attract similar operators to the plot and we currently have a number of interested parties.”
