Leadbitter built 50 studio apartments, each with its own kitchen and bathroom, for twin occupancy, as well as 48 'cluster apartments' with between three and seven en-suite bedrooms and communal kitchens. The development has delivered a total of 318 study bedrooms in two three-storey blocks.
The apartment blocks are traditionally-built masonry structures, with a combination of brick, render and cedar cladding. The scheme was designed to achieve a BREEAM Very Good rating, with sedum roofs on both buildings. Leadbitter also built an energy centre, which will provide all hot water, heating and 20% of the buildings' power requirements, using gas boilers and a combined heat and power unit.
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The design and build contract also included the realignment of the campus road to ensure minimal disruption to students and users of the campus leisure centre, which was kept open to the public throughout the construction period.
Oxford Brookes University has established a solid working relationship with Leadbitter, which has provided the University with more than 1,500 student bedrooms over the last decade. Leadbitter’s experience and comprehensive understanding of the University’s unique requirements has enabled it to deliver new, high-quality, state-of-the-art learning and living environments.
The Harcourt Hill contract followed Leadbitter's successful completion of new student accommodation and an energy centre at Morrell Hall in 2010 and a new Postgraduate Centre in 2011, both located in the Marston Road area of the University’s Headington campus.
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