In an innovative deal completed at the beginning of July 2004, Sanctuary Housing, one of the UKs leading housing associations has added a further 1416 student beds to its growing Facilities Management business as a result of its involvement in the latest student housing project with Dundee University.

The £60 million 35 year contract, will see almost 1000 beds demolished and replaced with ensuite self catered rooms within the first three years. The arrangement, utilises a unique charitable special purpose vehicle structure, which transfers occupancy and operational risk away from the University and ensures that any surpluses generated from the project are ploughed back into the Halls – setting it apart from other private sector student deals.

Dundee University has transferred its existing catered and self catered Halls to the charitable vehicle, which will be called Dundee Student Villages. Trustees of the new body are representatives from Sanctuary, the University and the Bank of Scotland, which has funded the deal. The project signals an exciting phase in Sanctuary’s continued expansion of its Management Services organisation which delivers a broad range of hard and soft facilities management services for students and key workers.

Sanctuary will provide the full facilities management services, which will include pastoral care for students and provision of hotel services over the Summer vacation period. As part of the deal, Sanctuary will also be operating a stand alone conference centre, providing both residential and day conference and meeting facilities, and servicing over 13,600 delegates a year.