A new housing initiative to help tackle Aberdeen’s chronic shortage of student accommodation will welcome its first residents this weekend ahead of the new academic year.
Alumno Developments’ six-storey property on 2 Powis Place was officially opened yesterday, and 70% of the 196-bedroom property is already pre-let.
Spaces for students to stay have become extremely scarce in Aberdeen in recent years, as an increasing number of youngsters flock to the Granite City to study at its two universities and other higher education institutions.
More than 200 freshers who arrived in the north-east to study in 2014 were forced to live in temporary housing, following a massive surge in accommodation applications.
David Campbell, the managing director of Alumno Developments, said his firm’s new building would help to provide Aberdeen’s student population with lodgings for generations to come.
Mr Campbell added: “From the first stages to today’s opening, the project has been a great success and we look forward to welcoming our first residents.
“In addition to seeing the development completed to a very high standard and on schedule by our contractor Kier, we were also able to offer structural engineering students from Aberdeen University an opportunity to tour the site earlier on in the construction phase.
“This gave them direct experience of a live project at a crucial stage in their studies.”
The development will also feature a specially-commissioned sculpture, carved from a piece of Aberdeen granite by artist Fred Watson, depicting a pile of books to reflect Aberdeen’s rich academic heritage.
Sean O’Callaghan, area operations director for Kier, added: “We were delighted to work with Alumno Developments again and deliver much needed modern, quality accommodation for students right in the heart of Aberdeen’s city centre.
“We have a wealth of experience in providing student accommodation across the country, and have worked with Alumno Developments on a number of projects, including Glasgow’s West End and in Durham.
“This project has allowed us to provide local jobs to local people, create a graduate quantity surveyor role and work with the engineering students at Aberdeen University to inspire and attract new talent to the construction industry.”
