Award-winning construction and property consultancy, Summers-Inman, has been appointed in a multidisciplinary capacity, to a £21.4m student accommodation project at Teesside University.
It is the first project to be secured by the consultancy following its appointment to the NEUPC framework (North East Universities Purchasing Consortium) at the end of 2018.
The new Cornell Quarter development forms part of the university’s £300m Campus Masterplan and comprises 300 beds in close proximity to the campus. Forming a key element of the campus experience for the students who live there, as well as harmonising with the immediate surroundings, it is set to reflect the quality and aspirations of the university.
Due to start on site in April and to be completed in time for the 2020/21 academic year, Summers-Inman will be providing project management, contract administration and cost consultancy services from RIBA stage two (concept design) onwards, throughout the construction programme. Other project partners are Napper Architects and the building contractor is Wates.
Summers-Inman won the project following a competitive tender having returned the best value tender when assessed on both cost and quality together with their extensive higher education and student residential sector experience proving invaluable.
Commenting on the win, Ian Campbell, director of Summers-Inman, said: “We are delighted with this new appointment, our first through the NEUPC framework, but one of several major schemes we have worked on since 2008 when we undertook our first project for the university.
“We greatly value our relationship with the university, which we have worked hard to develop. Through careful management and clear communication, we have been responsible for helping to successfully deliver a wide range of projects resulting in significant enhancements of the Teesside University campus over the last ten years.”
Darren Vipond, Director of Campus Services at Teesside University, said: “It is a pleasure to work with the team at Summers-Inman, who not only bring a tremendous depth of resource and expertise to the table, but also possess a wide knowledge of our campus through their support on various other multidisciplinary projects, such as The Curve, the Business School and the refurbishment of the old Middlesbrough Gazette building, now known as The Printworks. I have every confidence in their ability to ensure delivery of this scheme on time and within budget.”
Cornell Quarter is just one of three projects that Summers-Inman is currently working on across the campus.
The £22.3m National Horizon Centre, a three-storey 2,895m2 building, providing dedicated laboratory space and associated support accommodation, has just reached practical completion with Summers-Inman providing cost consultancy support throughout.
Meanwhile, the steel frame has just been erected for the £12.5m Teesside University Student Life building where Summers-Inman is providing project management and cost consultancy services. The project is due to reach completion in October 2019.
Within the same sector, Summers-Inman also provided multi-disciplinary services on the recently completed £72m Park View student accommodation block at Newcastle University and project management, cost management and principal designer services support on the £50m Portland Green Student Village near Northumbria University for developer, Abodus.
Summers-Inman operates nationally with a staff of 105 employed in six offices throughout the UK in Edinburgh, Newcastle, Leeds, Leicester, Stafford and London. The consultancy has an enviable list of blue-chip clients including Aldi, Walkers, PepsiCo, Tesco, McDonalds and Severn Trent Water.
