Rund appointed on St James’ Boulevard student living

Developer HG Living has tasked the consultancy with providing employer’s agent and quantity surveying services on the 350-apartment Newcastle project.

The 31,000 sq ft development will include a gym, study rooms, and cinema room as well as an external courtyard.

Rund’s appointment follows property development specialist HG Living’s agreement with Singapore-headquartered Q Investment Partners (QIP) to forward-fund the PBSA scheme.

HG Construction is the main contractor on the project.

Rund has thus far worked on formulating and administering the contract for demolition and enabling works, while also carrying out monthly valuations, overseeing the design stages, and managing contractor appointments.

Tom French, Managing Surveyor at Rund, said: “Newcastle has two great universities who collectively host over 50,000 students, making this city one of the country’s leading destinations for higher education students.

“Because of this, demand for purpose-built student accommodation has been increasing steadily over the years and we’re very much looking forward to bringing our experience and surveying expertise to bear in what will be one of the most significant schemes of its kind in the region.”

Rund will also oversee the site main works throughout the two-year build programme. Rund’s responsibilities will include carrying out monthly site inspections, monitoring contractors, administering building contract terms, and overseeing cashflow monitoring and reporting.

The scheme is expected to complete in July 2025.

Craig McPhail, director at HG Living, added: “This is an exciting opportunity to develop a best-in-class facility for the ever-growing student population in Newcastle.

“The city offers a fantastic location for students, not just in terms of the high standard of education, but also in terms of its vibrant offering of restaurants, bars, shops and facilities. We look forward to working closely with Rund and our other supplier partners to develop this scheme along with HG Construction.”