Contracts worth over £200 million have been handed out as the University of Leicester prepares to move forward with a major construction project.

ENGIE and special purpose vehicle, Freemans Common Village LLP, will deliver the contracts which will see 1,164 new student homes built across seven blocks as well as the construction of a new multi-storey car park and Teaching & Learning Centre.

The leading energy and services firm will oversee the projects before committing to a 50-year hard facilities management contract to provide technical services, estates management and external cleaning for the new residences, as well as enabling high speed Wi-Fi and IT services to ensure the best experience for occupants.

The company will also deliver lifecycle management to the residences, which incorporates infrastructure replacement right through to internal components.


Planned for the Freemans Commons site, the project will incorporate a number of renewable and energy-saving technologies including solar panels, highly efficient centralised gas fired Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and LED lighting will be installed.

Martin Smithurst, Divisional Chief Operating Officer for ENGIE's Places & Communities Division (North), said: "This is a prime project for ENGIE, as it's one of the few occasions where we get to showcase our broad capabilities in placemaking. These contracts not only allow us to demonstrate our expertise across energy, services and regeneration; but provides us with the opportunity to apply our long-term investment model, by taking an equity stake in the scheme. This assures our partners and students of our long-term commitment to Leicester and its university.

"We have delivered several similar higher education projects across the country and we're delighted to be working with the University of Leicester, as well as Equitix, on such a remarkable scheme that will create a lasting legacy in Leicester."

Jake Fellows, Major Projects Director and project lead at ENGIE, added: "Working collaboratively with the University, Equitix and the wider stakeholder group, including funders and the City Council, we have been able to effectively design and mobilise this extremely exciting project. This development will deliver a significant regeneration of the Freemens Common site, providing market-leading accommodation for the University to support their recruitment strategy, as well as demonstrating the capability and experience of our team and supply chain to respond to complex projects of this nature."

Construction work will commence in September, with completion expected in three years.

(CM/JG)