LJMU names Copperas Hill design team

Liverpool John Moores University has picked the design team for the redevelopment of the former Royal Mail sorting office acquired in 2011.

BDP is the architect on the scheme, Christal Management project manager, Sweett Group consultant and employers agent, Curtins civil and structural engineer, Arup building services engineer. A planning application is expected to be ready for summer 2015.

The project team will work alongside Mark Askem and Richard Pinnington in the LJMU estate management department.

Sue Emms, education sector lead for BDP in the North, will head up the project. She said: "This is a hugely exciting and unique project, which has the ability to transform a redundant city centre building, regenerate a city quarter and create a vibrant, student-focused heart for LJMU."

In 2013, the university announced plans to redevelop the site as part of its vision to locate all students and staff in the city centre. Copperas Hill will be the centre of the university campus and an entrance to the Knowledge Quarter of the city.

The university will now embark on extensive consultation with the proposed users of the building and external stakeholders to complete a detailed feasibility study of the various options for the site. The Copperas Hill project is part of a masterplan that covers the University's entire portfolio of properties.

A planning application for the scheme is expected to be submitted in the summer of 2015 with a view to starting work onsite early in 2016. Parts of the building should to be operational for the 2017/18 academic year and the full site operational in 2018.