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£ 12m student hub, which has been designed to be net zero carbon in operation.
The four-storey hub includes individual and group study areas, social and welfare facilities, a landscaped garden lounge and a double-height events hall.
A new pedestrian bridge and boardwalk will connect the Student Village with the university’ s wider Leek Road site.
£ 12m student hub and campus works
The wider works include demolition at the Leek Road site to create accessible parkland, with the project targeting a 12 % biodiversity net gain.
The contract also included refurbishment of 300 rooms at Clarice Cliff Court.
The refurbishment upgraded living spaces and introduced low-energy systems to improve the building’ s energy performance.
Works were scheduled during the summer period to allow the university to retain its accommodation capacity and avoid losing room income.
Dan Doyle, operations director at Willmott Dixon, said:“ The ambition here was never simply to build more accommodation. It was to create an inclusive student community, with sustainable, future-ready buildings on a campus that attracts and retains students, and to support the university’ s long-term plans for sustainability, wellbeing and growth.
“ Getting the superstructure up in 32 weeks came from taking the offsite decision early and holding to it, and that same early
engagement is why the university has paid what it expected to pay. Pace and cost certainty together are what universities are asking of us.”
DBFO model used for £ 100m development
The Student Village was procured through a DBFO model, allowing the university to spread the cost of the development over a 50-year period while retaining flexibility during construction.
Early engagement between the university and consortium was used to maintain the £ 100m cost agreed at the outset, with the project team stating that the entry and exit
University of Staffordshire opening event 2026 costs matched.
Steve Rimell, chief financial officer at the University of Staffordshire, said:“ We are delighted with the outcome of the Student Village project, and as CFO I am particularly pleased that it was delivered on time and on budget. The student hub is going to be extremely impactful for student amenities and wellbeing, and as a way of connecting the accommodation with our main campus.
“ Our students were involved from the start, helping to shape the design from the early stages, allowing us to create a new space for them that prioritises community, inclusion and wellbeing.”
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