ARTS University Bournemouth (AUB) has officially opened its flagship on-site accommodation at its Wallisdown Campus.

The new residential site cost £24m to build and can sleep 300 students is in close proximity to the university’s main campus.

“The collaboration between AUB, Morgan Sindall Construction and AECOM (an engineering company), through Perfect Circle, has delivered a residential scheme to be really proud of,” said Mark Robinson, group chief executive at student accommodation providers SCAPE.

The scheme has reportedly created 74p of social value for every £1 the development cost, which makes a total of just under £20m.

Twenty seven jobs were created for those previously unemployed as well as 724 trainee weeks provided during the course of the project.

Mr Robinson added: “With the combined oversight of SCAPE and our colleagues at the Southern Construction Framework (SCF), together, we’ve ensured that this project was delivered at pace,

in a socially conscious way, and with strong sustainability credentials to help AUB actively reduce its carbon footprint, whilst benefitting the local community.

“At SCAPE, we’re proud to have helped accelerate this project and deliver something really special that will improve the lives, wellbeing and experiences for the community at AUB.”

In keeping with both the main contractor’s and SCF’s commitment to meaningful social value through all its work with 88% of the project routed through small and medium sized businesses based in the area, benefitting 45 firms.

Part of AUB’s brief was sustainability and so the building has achieved a rating from BREEAM, a sustainability assessment method, of very good.

Pedestrian and cycle routes have been installed connecting nearby areas, or upgraded with improved lighting, linking Wallisdown Road and Gillett Road to Fern Barrow.

Clifford Kinch, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “We’ve worked in partnership with AUB on its campus development for the last decade, delivering several inspiring buildings.

“This latest scheme is particularly striking and befitting the creativity and ingenuity of students who will live in it.

“We always welcome the chance to work with progressive customers who prioritise both sustainability and wider placemaking elements, which can so often be overlooked.”