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Third phase of £100m University of York scheme completes

Posted on 4 September 2014

A joint venture (JV) partnership between Evans Property Group and the University of York has this week opened Constantine College, the third phase of accommodation and facilities totalling some 2000 student beds and £100m of investment over three new Colleges at its Heslington East campus.

Constantine College

The new BREEAM Excellent rated, £36m Constantine College will accommodate 621 students and tutors over eight blocks. Five blocks will be standard en-suite cluster apartments with a further three blocks of townhouses, which are proving very popular with returning students. A new 7,500 sq ft amenity hub ‘The Forum’ contains social space, meeting rooms and laundry facilities and has also been unveiled in time for the new term. Evans Property Group on behalf of the JV finished work ahead of schedule to enable tutors to move into Constantine College this weekend. The building will be fully occupied by the end of this month.

Constantine College is the third college at the 161 acre Heslington East campus extension following construction of Goodricke College in 2009 and Langwith College, which the JV completed in 2012. The Colleges offer in total some 2000 beds and have an end value of around £100m. Constantine College was partly funded under a long-term funding facility with Aviva Commercial Finance Ltd.

The development is part of the University’s plans to double its physical size through a £750m campus extension on Heslington East.  This is being transformed by a range of academic, residential and sports facilities which include a swimming pool, all weather pitches, gym and fitness suites and recently completed velodrome.  The University continues to invest on its original Heslington West campus with a range of new science facilities having opened over the past 5 years.  This growth in facilities has resulted in an increase in student numbers and Constantine College helps to enable many of these to be housed on campus.

James Pitt, Development Director of Evans Property Group, said: “We have worked successfully in partnership with the University of York for several years as part of a long-term commitment to providing the best possible accommodation and facilities at this incredible campus. Constantine College follows the successful development of the earlier phases and we are delighted to have finished ahead of schedule. We are incredibly proud to have contributed to what is undoubtedly one of the North’s most outstanding educational facilities.”

Dr Jane Grenville, the University of York's Deputy-Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Students, said: “The University of York has a worldwide reputation for the excellence in research, and the quality of teaching.  Equally central to our success are the colleges, so much more than halls of residence. They create vibrant social and learning communities for students of all disciplines and in every year of their study.  Colleges enable the University to continue to feel small as it grows bigger.

“Constantine, our latest addition, offers students a range of high-quality accommodation, social facilities and study space and has already developed its own vibrant identity as the Student Welcome Committee prepares to greet the new entrants in September.  We are delighted to have worked so effectively with Evans to deliver such a wonderful set of buildings on time and within budget, in which the new college can thrive.”

President of the University of York Students’ Union (YUSU) Sam Maguire added: “The opening of Constantine College is extremely exciting as we shall see the growth and development of a community in the most organic form. The facilities look fantastic and it is another step in the development of a superb campus on Heslington East.”

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