Midlands & East Anglia

New facilities at Selwyn College

Selwyn College, Cambridge

A project to update student accommodation at Selwyn College continues to make good progress.

The project comprises the refurbishment of existing facilities in order to provide modern, en-suite accommodation for the college’s student body.

Work began on the project in June 2012 and is currently scheduled to reach completion in September 2014. Morgan Sindall is the main contractor on the project, whilst Purcell Architects is providing all architectural services.

Speaking to Premier Construction about the refurbishment works, Selwyn College Bursar, Nick Downer, said:

“The existing student accommodation was built in 1968, so understandably the mechanical and electrical facilities were starting to look tired and it is fair to say that the refurbishment was due. Two thirds of the work is now complete, with students already making use of the accommodation. The feedback from students so far has been very positive.”

Selwyn College, Cambridge

Students are now back in the completed refurbished rooms and as a gesture of goodwill, whilst the remainder of the work takes place in other areas of the site, the College is adhering to pre-refurbishment rent prices.

The project includes the introduction of new, en-suite facilities, replacing the shared shower rooms which were previously in operation on the site. Taplanes Showering Solutions is responsible for the installation of pre-fabricated, Arran bathroom pods on the refurbished accommodation. Taplanes’ Arran Pod includes a toilet, shower, soap dish and door and is available in alternative sizes.

Nick commented:

“Before work took place, the accommodation had a strange configuration. We had pairs of bedrooms, with a wash basin area and a central shower, but no toilet. This is all gone now and we have used the space to introduce back-to-back pods. Almost all of the rooms are now en-suite.”

Selwyn College, Cambridge

With work continuing to make good progress on the final stages of the project, Nick reflected on the importance of the refurbishment scheme.

Nick said:

“This project is very important to the College. There is a certain standard which should be kept to and as the building is 50 years old it was getting very tired indeed. Students expect a reasonable level of quality when it comes to student accommodation and that is something which we can now offer.”

Taking its name from George Augustus Selwyn, the first Bishop of New Zealand (1841-1868), Selwyn College provides students with a friendly, encouraging environment which stimulates learning both academically and personally. The college opened in 1882 and today provides higher education facilities for undergraduates and postgraduates, which is backed by the College’s supervision system.

Selwyn College, Cambridge

At Selwyn College, the supervision system is an exceptional aspect of the education system, ensuring that students receive continuous feedback on their work. The system allows students to hone their skills and demonstrates the college’s commitment to learning.

For more information about Selwyn College, please visit: www.sel.cam.ac.uk.

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