Morgan Sindall Construction appointed to £18 million Birmingham Business School expansion

The University of Birmingham has appointed Morgan Sindall Construction to deliver an £18 million extension to its internationally-acclaimed business school.

The university has selected Morgan Sindall as its preferred construction partner for the second time in as many years; awarding this latest project through the Constructing West Midlands Framework (CWMF). The main contractor has held a place on the framework since 2011, supporting the regional economy with more than £200 million of work routed through local suppliers.

Morgan Sindall is already working in partnership with the university on its £40 million Collaborative Teaching Laboratory (CTL), which is due to hand over this month.

This latest commission will involve the construction of a four-storey, 34,000 square foot building, connected to the Grade II-listed University House, on Edgbaston Park Road.

Providing additional Grade-A office facilities, the new wing of the business school will enable its team of 103 staff members to co-locate. Currently, the school is split across five separate buildings.

The two-part extension will comprise one building perpendicular to the existing three-storey University House, connected using an 8.5 metre wide, two-storey flat-roofed link.

The second phase of development will be built at a 30-degree angle to the first building.

The extension will benefit from extensive glazed partitions throughout, along with a spacious atrium and triple height ceiling spaces.

Richard Fielding, Morgan Sindall’s area director in the Midlands, said: “We are committed to building longstanding and collaborative relationships with our customers – and the framework procurement route undoubtedly facilitates that.
“There’s no better validation of our work than repeat business, and we’re naturally very pleased to have been appointed to deliver another important addition to the university’s estate.
“We’re well versed in working on live university campuses, and constructing sympathetic extensions to listed buildings. As such, this project is perfect fit for us and I look forward to seeing it develop.”

Built in 1908, University House was originally a student hall of residence designed in the Queen Anne style. In 1913, the Beale wing was added to the north-east and has been further extended over the years, most recently in 2002 when it was converted to the business school.

The University House expansion is part of The University of Birmingham’s investment of more than £600 million to transform its campus between 2016 – 2026 with a series of pioneering projects designed to benefit students, staff and the local community.

• For more information about this news release please contact Eleanor Harms at Influential on 0151 239 5000 or email [email protected]