£8.6m university library refurb

Styles&Wood Group plc

STYLES&WOOD WINS £8.6M UNIVERSITY LIBRARY REFURBISHMENT

Styles&Wood Group plc ("Styles&Wood" or the "Group"), the integrated property services and project delivery specialist, has been appointed to carry out the £8.6m refurbishment of Lancaster University's Library, designed by Sheppard Robson.

The renovation project, due to complete in January 2016, will regenerate the Library in line with Lancaster University's status as a leading University.

The Group's Projects business unit will complete strip out and refurbishment works to the buildings East and West wings on a phased basis. This will allow the ongoing use of the library during the refurbishment, minimising disruption for the university's 12,000 students.

The 72-week project will include creating a new atrium from the existing courtyard, the installation of new furniture and fixtures, mechanical and electrical upgrades and the reconfiguration of the building's stairs and lifts.

The appointment demonstrates the success of Styles&Wood's strategic focus to further its reach into specialist markets, including the education sector, where it provides integrated property solutions across a range of primary, secondary, higher and further education refurbishment projects. Recent projects the Group has successfully delivered include the £4.1 million refurbishment at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

Tony Lenehan, CEO at Styles&Wood, said: "This is a significant win for Styles&Wood in a key growth sector for a number of the Group's service lines, including design, energy and project delivery.

"The Group has successfully secured £14.6m revenue in 2014 from the education sector. This compares with our first year's trading in this new area in 2012 of £4.0m and further enhances a strong portfolio of quality reference projects. As such, combined with our expertise in working in live, occupied environments, we are now in an excellent position to secure future projects as institutions continue to review their property estates."

Mark Swindlehurst, Lancaster University's Director of Facilities, commented: "Extensive consultation with the academic community at Lancaster generated remarkably consistent feedback that users valued their Library as a unique, serious academic study space."

"There had been a strong emphasis on sustainable innovation and it was the University's commitment to the environment and to a sustainable future which inspired the approach towards redesigning the original 1960s' building."

-Ends -

For further information please contact: