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A new mini-community has sprung to life in Falmouth with completion of the “Maritime Studios” new homes scheme close to Falmouth Docks, with all 145 studio apartments now occupied by students at the start of their academic year.
The striking new six-storey building on the Falmouth skyline is one of the area’s first purpose-built complexes designed to meet the dramatically increased need for quality student accommodation with the major expansion of the Combined Universities of Cornwall.
A VIP opening ceremony will follow next month (Oct), but in the meantime it’s all systems go with developer Lawrence Butler hailing “a textbook triumph, with Maritime Studios finished on time, on budget and now very much home to a great many happy students.”
To help the students make the most of Maritime Studios, Mr Butler has also welcomed new manager Julia Tibbett, who will be permanently on site both to look after the building’s maintenance and to act as first point of contact for occupants. The 15-month construction programme has seen up to 130 builders regularly on site and this week Mr Butler, managing director of Falmouth-based Devington Homes Ltd, thanked residents for their patience during the construction programme.
“I believe Maritime is the epitome of a brownfield site redevelopment providing much-needed accommodation for students and that it will be of great benefit to the community,” he said.
“All the students we have spoken to are over the moon about it. Maritime is certainly a world away from the traditional image of student living! We believe it is one of the best student accommodation buildings in the country – offering five star accommodation and fantastic views”
A prominent feature of the new building is the spacious students’ common room in the west end of the top storey. This has over 1,500 square feet of floor space. A two-storey atrium entrance is of similar size, with a reception desk and manager’s office and visitor welcome area and includes a large plasma screen television, pool tables and vending facilities for the enjoyment of the students.
“The one thing these students are not going to be short of is space,” said Mr Butler, “and those who want to study will not have to compete with loud music from other apartments as the walls are made of ten-inch thick solid concrete.”
Julia Tibbett, manager of Maritime Studios, has 30 years of administration experience and since 1998 has been advice team manager with Community Energy Plus. During this time and on behalf of all seven Cornish local authorities, she has managed grant schemes amounting to £1.7 million annually. She has also managed the Cornwall Energy Efficiency Advice Centre.
The Maritime Studios project team included Ralph Bingle, project manager, Lacey Hickey Caley, architects, Peter Brett Associates, structural engineers, Scott Wilson. mechanical and electrical engineers, Charlotte Rathbone, landscape architect, Arnage Construction, contractor, Davis Langdon, quantity surveyors and planning supervisors, Bute Partnership, monitoring surveyors, Dunbar Bank plc, funding, CBRE, funding agents, and Heather and Lay, selling and letting agents.