McAleer & Rushe Gets Green Light For Belfast Student Housing Scheme Yearly Archives: 2016 McAleer & Rushe’s £72m deal with Queen’s to provide 1,200 student beds in Belfast Yearly Archives: 2016 McAleer & Rushe Signs £52m Contract To Build 1,000 Bed Student Scheme In Portsmouth Yearly Archives: 2016 McAleer & Rushe Lands £26m Contract With Urban&Civic To Build Europe’s Largest Hampton by Hilton At Stansted Yearly Archives: 2016

McAleer & Rushe has received planning permission for its student housing scheme on the site of a former Metropolitan College building on McClintock Street/Blackstaff Square, Belfast.

Earlier this month McAleer & Rushe signed a £72m development agreement with Queen’s University to deliver in excess of 1,200 student bedrooms on their prime City Centre sites at McClintock Street and College Avenue. It is anticipated that planning permission for College Avenue will soon be granted.

On Tuesday night Belfast City Council granted consent for a 476-bedroom building with ground floor retail space. The McClintock Street building will be 16 storeys high and is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2018.

In November last year, the Cookstown and London-based developer got planning permission for a 14-storey, 206-bedroom hotel on this large mixed use development site which will now also accommodate this exciting new student development.

The scheme sits on a prominent corner, within an area known as ‘The Linen Quarter’ which Belfast City Council and other Government agencies have targeted for major regeneration with plans including a major upgrade of the urban streetscape.

McAleer & Rushe Group Chief Executive Eamonn Laverty said:

“McAleer & Rushe is looking forward to working together with Queen’s University to deliver state of the art student accommodation which has been shaped by our experience of working on other similar projects across the UK. We would also commend the hard work being put in by the City Council to enhance the attractions of our City and push forward its economic and cultural renaissance for the benefit of us all”.

One of Northern Ireland’s leading developers McAleer & Rushe has entered into an agreement with Queen’s University Belfast to develop 1,200 student bedrooms on two of their prime city centre sites.

The Tyrone and London based developer/contractor has agreed with Queens University to deliver the completed buildings, by the summer of 2018, in a deal estimated to be worth just over £72m.

Both projects, are currently under consideration by the Belfast City Council Planning Service. It is hoped a positive planning outcome can be reached imminently, to enable the proposals to rapidly advance to the construction phase. The 476 bed scheme on McClintock Street will form part of a mixed-use student and hotel scheme, while the proposal for College Avenue will consist of 680 cluster bedrooms and 95 studios.

McAleer & Rushe Property Director, Stephen Surphlis said:

“This is one of the most significant property development deal in Northern Ireland for many years. It follows on from the success we had with Belfast City Council to develop a 100,000sq ft office for it, at our site on Adelaide Street. We are particularly pleased to have reached agreement with Queen’s on these two student accommodation schemes, which will provide such a valuable boost for the City.”

“The projects, which are estimated to generate around 550 jobs during the construction phase and 75 long-term jobs, will also make a significant contribution in the on-going regeneration of Belfast City Centre, bringing major economic benefits for nearby retail and leisure businesses and added vibrancy to the heart of our capital”.

Queen’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Patrick Johnston said:

“As an anchor institution in the city, this substantial investment again demonstrates the commitment of Queen’s to the development of Belfast as a learning city. The continued growth of the university, and Belfast, is critical to the success of the knowledge economy.

“As part of Queen’s ambitious plans for growth, this much needed student accommodation within walking distance to Queen’s, city centre amenities and transport links, will ensure the University continues to attract the brightest local, national and international students to study in Belfast.”

McAleer & Rushe has rapidly attained a reputation of excellence in the development and construction of student housing in the UK and Ireland. It is well on target to deliver 7,500 student bedrooms, within just five years of entering the student sector. It is currently working on a number of major schemes across the UK for leading student housing providers such as Unite Students and Threesixty Developments (formerly Knightsbridge Student Housing.)

McAleer & Rushe has signed a £52m Design and Build Contract with Threesixty Developments Ltd to deliver a 1,000 bed student housing scheme in Portsmouth.

Threesixty, (formerly known as Knightsbridge Student Housing) is run jointly by Bob Crompton and Oaktree Capital Management and was launched as a new brand last year to reflect a fresh era for the business as it continues to conquer the student accommodation market in the UK and abroad.

Catherine House, on Stanhope Road is a student-led mixed-use scheme designed by McAleer & Rushe and Belfast-based architect Urban Innovations. McAleer & Rushe and Urban Innovations also advised during the work up and planning stages of the scheme. It involves the conversion of the local landmark office Zurich House to provide 405 bedrooms, and the construction of a new purpose-built, 595 bedroom student accommodation block extension, close to the train station, with ground floor retail. It will also boast a newly landscaped public boulevard that opens on to Victoria Park.

Construction of the student housing scheme is set to complete in the Summer of 2017.

Martin Magee Managing Director, McAleer & Rushe Contracts UK said:

“This contract marks an important milestone in the redevelopment of the now derelict Zurich House, which has been an important talisman building for many in Portsmouth. This regeneration will have a significant revitalizing impact of this area around Portsmouth & Southsea Station. Our new partnership with Threesixty is leading to further opportunities in development and construction for both companies in the UK and Ireland.

“McAleer & Rushe is also currently working on our first project together. It is an £18m contract to build Threesixty a 356 bedroom 8-storey student accommodation scheme – Back Of The Walls – Southampton, which is set to complete in August 2016.”

Bob Crompton, CEO of Threesixty Developments Ltd, said:

“We’re thrilled to be working together with McAleer & Rushe on this exciting development in such a key position in Portsmouth’s city centre. Following extensive consultation with the public and Portsmouth City Council we chose a design that will retain the essence of Zurich House and leave the Portsmouth skyline as so many people know it today. The new boulevard will also provide well located retail space and open up access to Victoria Park, we hope that the residents of Portsmouth will like the new addition to their city.”

McAleer & Rushe has landed a £26m Design and Build contract with Urban&Civic to build Europe’s largest Hampton by Hilton at Stansted Airport.

Urban&Civic secured planning permission to build a new £45m 357-bed hotel with direct terminal access to London Stansted Airport, following a deal to acquire a two acre site from MAG Property, the property and development division of Manchester Airports Group (MAG) – the owners of Stansted Airport.The stylish scheme is eight stories tall and will be serviced by three lifts. Located on Bassingbourn Road, it is set to open in Summer 2017.Contracts Director Peter Devlin said:

“McAleer & Rushe has established itself as the ‘go-to’ contractor for airport hotels because of our ability to provide design-led solutions for challenging locations. We look forward to building a long term relationship with Urban&Civic and are very pleased to continue our on-going partnership with Hilton”.

McAleer & Rushe is the leading UK Design and Build Contractor for the brand. McAleer & Rushe also built the Hampton by Hilton London Gatwick Airport at Longbridge House by the North Terminal, the Hampton by Hilton Waterloo and also its Bournemouth hotel.
The Stansted hotel forms part of MAG’s £260m investment plan to attract more passengers, airlines and long-haul services to Stansted, the fastest growing airport in the UK.

Offering travellers high quality amenities, including complimentary Wi-Fi and hot breakfast, Hampton by Hilton – Europe’s fastest growing hotel brand. Hampton by Hilton has a total of 16 hotels currently operating in the UK & Ireland with a further 17 under development.

Hampton by Hilton Stansted Airport is set to become Hilton Worldwide’s largest Hampton by Hilton in Europe, surpassing Hampton by Hilton Warsaw City Centre which opened in 2014.