Plans afoot for student residences complex

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University of the West of Scotland (UWS) has announced exciting plans for its new £13.6million student residences complex, which will be built in the heart of Paisley town centre.

Work on the new residencies complex, which will see the creation of 340 bed spaces, is planned to begin at the end of March 2011.

The complex – which will be built on the site of the University’s Storie Street car park – has a scheduled completion date of September 2012.

The project is part of the University’s £250million investment programme, which also includes a new £70m Ayr Campus and upgrade of classrooms and IT infrastructure across all campuses.

Professor Seamus McDaid, Principal and Vice Chancellor of University of the West of Scotland, said: “Good facilities are critical to a positive student learning experience. The development of modern accommodation in the heart of Paisley is crucial to our ambitions to attract and retain more students and is part of the wider investment programme to improve the quality of our estate across all four campuses.

“This new development, which illustrates our deep commitment to providing the very best facilities for our students, is also hugely important to the local community. It will increase the enormous contribution that the University makes to the local economy, greatly enhancing the centre of Paisley and bringing long-term benefits to the town.”

The new student accommodation will include bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and communal kitchen/living facilities provided for every cluster of 5 or 6 beds; a management suite; student lounge and laundry facilities. A further £4.6 million project for the refurbishment of some 160 University-owned flats at George Street and Lady Lane in Paisley will be implemented in 2011.

Renfrewshire Council leader, Derek Mackay said: “Paisley is proud to be a University town and the links between this great place of learning and the town go back a long way. With all the facilities of the town centre close at hand, it is a good choice to build student accommodation in the heart of the town.

“We welcome with open arms all the students who will live in this new residential complex and I am sure they will integrate well with Paisley Buddies. The several hundred students who will live in the new complex will contribute to the on-going regeneration of Paisley as one of our aims is to encourage more people to come to town centre for many different purposes, but particularly to live there.

“We are telling people about the many positives there are about Paisley through our Paisley Is…campaign and I am sure the students coming to the town will soon find out that Paisley is…a great place to learn.”

Architects Lewis & Hickey, who have extensive experience in the design and delivery of new build student residences, have been appointed to design the new build.

The University is holding two public consultation events - in August and September – which will provide members of the local community the opportunity to find out more about this exciting development. For further information on these events please contact Sandy Jamieson of the University’s Estates and Buildings department on 0141 848 3266.

Press release issued by University of West of Scotland: Friday 20 August 2010