Ocon wins £5m student flats contract

Manchester-based Ocon Construction, a subsidiary of Opal Property Group, has been appointed to build a new student accommodation block in Liverpool city centre.

Work on the £5m scheme, designed by architects Lewis & Hickey, will start this month on behalf of Liverpool-based Westville Developments. The flats are being constructed for students from the University of Liverpool.

An outdated pub, retail units and bedsits located at 114-126 London Road will make way for five storeys of student accommodation, ground floor retail and office space and basement parking.

The adjacent property at 128 London Road has been identified by the planning authorities as a building of special historical interest and will be refurbished and integrated with the new build scheme, providing two student apartments, which will each contain two bedrooms, and the scheme's management suite.

Andy Barker, managing director of Ocon, said: "Our involvement in this prestigious new scheme once again demonstrates that Ocon is at the forefront of the student accommodation sector, with an enviable reputation for delivering projects to programme and on budget. This is the latest in a number of student accommodation schemes currently on site, including projects that Ocon is building in Loughborough, Exeter, Dundee and Sussex.

"We're looking forward to seeing the development take shape once we're on site later in the summer."

Last year, Ocon Construction completed the £12.2m Stella Nova residential scheme in Bootle.

The scheme is due for completion by the end of August 2011.