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SMS announces new contract with Queen Margaret University College (QMUC)
 

Sanctuary Housing is pleased to announce the successful negotiation of a major construction and facilities management contract for Queen Margaret University College in East Lothian , Scotland . This contract win follows a similar project Sanctuary concluded with the University of Lincoln at the end of September.

The contract is part of the complete relocation of Queen Margaret’s campus from Edinburgh to a new 35 acre site in Craighall, East Lothian.

Over 4,000 students will relocate from existing campuses at Corstorphine and Leith to the new site once construction of the new academic buildings and residences are complete.

The new project involves Sanctuary developing the £30m construction of 800 new halls of residence on the site and providing day-to-day facilities management services for the new student accommodation.

Sanctuary has a pre-agreed deal to transfer the residences to a new charitable vehicle which will be known as Queen Margaret Student Solutions (QMSS) once construction works are complete. Funding will be provided by Bank of Scotland Corporate. QMSS is to be jointly owned by Sanctuary Housing, QMUC and Bank of Scotland Corporate.

By establishing this special purpose vehicle as a charitable company, QMSS is able to return all generated surpluses back into the residences so allowing for the continuous improvement to the quality of accommodation offered to students at the University.

£30m construction of 800 new halls of residence on site

Sanctuary Management Services (SMS), Sanctuary Housing Association’s facilities management subsidiary, will deliver all management and maintenance services to the 800 units of accommodation for the duration of the 35 year contract. A number of staff currently employed by Queen Margaret University College will transfer to SMS when the accommodation is ready in September 2007.

Ms Rosalyn Marshall, QMUC Vice Principal and team leader of the relocation project, said: “By 2007, we shall have a striking, highly distinctive and sustainable academic village set in landscaped parkland that is sympathetic to its surroundings, and both accessible and welcoming to those living and working in the area. We hope that the Royal Burgh of Musselburgh is about to become a university town, with all of the consequential cultural and economic benefits for the area.”

Commented Willie Sutherland, Bank of Scotland Corporate’s Director of Housing Finance: “As one of the UK’s leading funders of social housing projects, we are pleased to continue our partnership with Sanctuary Housing Association in another major student accommodation transaction. This innovative and flexible funding solution allows QMUC to benefit from a substantial capital boost whilst gaining access to purpose built, high specification halls of residences."

Hilary Gardner, Sanctuary’s Commercial Director added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with both QMUC and the University of Lincoln. These two new innovative contracts significantly increases our portfolio of properties in the university accommodation market to over 6,000 and makes us the largest provider of such accommodation in the housing association sector.“

18 January 2006

 
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Sanctuary Housing Association is a registered social landlord (Housing Corporation No. L0247), and is an exempt charity under the Charities Act 1993 (Industrial & Provident Society No. 19059R).