University of Staffordshire Student Village
University of Staffordshire Student Village
About the project
Due for completion in 2026, the Student Village will see around 700 new student rooms built in cluster blocks and townhouses alongside a village ‘hub’ facility to be used as a social space for students.
A living and social space
The development, to be constructed by Willmott Dixon, will serve as a living and social space for those studying at the university, featuring events and wellbeing spaces, study areas, and a rooftop terrace.
Sustainability and carbon reduction
The village will sit in close proximity to the university’s nature reserve and the River Trent. Staffordshire Campus Living has developed a low energy and low carbon solution for the village, ensuring sustainability and carbon reduction remain at the heart of the design, build, and operation.
Osborne Clarke's role
Osborne Clarke acted for Staffordshire Campus Living, a consortium formed of Hochtief PPP Solutions and Plenary Group, on the contract to design, build, finance, and operate a student village for University of Staffordshire in the UK. The university also took a minority interest in the consortium. Following a change of management board and a new strategic direction, the project marked the return to the UK market for Hochtief PPP Solutions and was also the company's first UK student accommodation development.
Winning the bid
Our team advised the consortium on the bid strategy and what would make the most compelling legal/commercial proposition to win the bid. We also engaged in competitive dialogue before and during the bid stage.
From design to build
We then acted for the consortium, finalising all the documents and contracts needed to design, build, finance and operate the project, to financial close. Our team project managed all legal documentation working with over a dozen different parties. This was the consortium's first successful bid for a new student accommodation development.
Successful resolution
A key part of the consortium's bid was the provision of an integrated solar energy scheme. A unique part of the agreed proposal was for the university to be a secondary offtaker of surplus energy, so we therefore drafted and agreed a new power purchase agreement as part of the negotiations. This was a unique agreement in the context of student accommodation DBFOs, and was also the first UK deal for Hochtief Solar Partners (who were responsible for the construction of the solar PV system and were the 'generator' under the PPA).
Summary
Sustainable solutions
The University of Staffordshire Student Village project will provide student accommodation and facilities using sustainable solutions.
Large-scale infrastructure projects
Osborne Clarke's involvement in the project underscores its ability to handle complex, large-scale infrastructure projects with a multidisciplinary approach. The team's expertise and collaborative approach were instrumental in achieving financial close.
Raising standards in student accommodation
Student accommodation remains one of the most consistent asset classes providing a steady yield within the UK's world-class higher education sector. This is a landmark project in raising standards and the sustainability of student accommodation villages and is also a landmark for Plenary, being their first in the UK. It won 'Deal of the Year' at Property Week's 2024 Student Accommodation Awards.
The Osborne Clarke team
