Pickstock Construction Start On-Site in Plymouth
Its full steam ahead in Plymouth for Pickstock Construction, with construction having commenced on a brand new student accommodation scheme in the city centre.
Previously, the land was home to redundant and unattractive garages. Pickstock Construction will build two blocks of student accommodation on the land, the first, 13 storeys high and the second, 10 storeys high. The buildings will enhance Plymouth’s skyline and meet a much needed demand for student accommodation.
With the building being on the edge of a conservation area every effort has been made in the design to ensure it is fitting with the local vernacular. The massing is stepped with the apex of the southern elevation and the upper storeys are set back from the main façade and glazed so to soften the scale of the building. The smaller of the two buildings features a sail like metal clad to the corner which reflects the city’s nautical history and Plymouth granite will be soured for the ground floor façade.
Pickstock Construction’s sister company Elements Europe will provide a modular solution to both blocks of accommodation. For Block A, the taller of the two buildings, it will manufacture 26 studio Room Modules, 263 en-suite Room Modules and 59 kitchen modules. The total number of student rooms in Block A will be 349.
Pickstock Construction will build 60 rooms traditionally to Block B, however Elements Europe will manufacture Bathroom Pods for each of the rooms as well as flat roof cassettes for both buildings.
Kate Pickstock, Development Surveyor for The Pickstock Group commented “We are delighted to have started work on Plymouth’s new student accommodation scheme and to be working alongside our sister company yet again.”
Modular construction achieves a high standard of finish and a faster programme of works which this project has to achieve to be open in time for September 2017 students. Our experience of working with each other will certainly prove hugely beneficial” Added Kate.
Pickstock Construction will also work alongside Jefferson Sheard’s professional team to deliver this scheme.
Mike Hall, Regional Director and Project Architect for Jefferson Sheard commented “We are very pleased to have designed this exciting mixed use scheme as part of the ongoing positive regeneration of Plymouth.”
“We’ve produced a high quality design solution to a challenging constrained site whilst working closely with Pickstock Construction and Elements Europe to utilise innovative modular construction techniques as part of the build solution. We look forward to seeing the works progress on site and becoming a dramatic part pf the Plymouth skyline.” Hall added.
It is noted that Plymouth lacks sufficient purpose built student accommodation in comparison to other major university cities. Plymouth is home to approximately 26,000 students, however there are less than 4,000 beds provided by purpose built student schemes in the city.
