Topping out ceremony in Nottingham's Island Quarter

The latest phase of The Island Quarter in Nottingham moved a step closer to completion, as the final structural beam of its student accommodation scheme was put in place. 

The moment was marked with a topping out ceremony for the ongoing phase, which will be home to nearly 700 students from next autumn.

The block is currently under construction by Bowmer + Kirkland, and once completed will be managed by Fresh, a leading student accommodation provider.  

The student accommodation forms the second phase of the 36-acre development, with the initial phase - restaurant and entertainment venue 1 The Island Quarter - opening its doors in September 2022. 

The Conygar Investment Company - the developer behind the scheme - has also recently received planning permission for nearly 250,000 sq ft of bioscience and laboratory space which will be situated next to the student accommodation. 

Christopher Ware, property director at Conygar, said: “Alongside the recently updated masterplan and the planning consent for our bioscience facility, this topping out is another key landmark in what has already been a pivotal year for The Island Quarter. 

“From the very outset, we wanted The Island Quarter to be an exemplar of intergenerational living, and this high-quality student accommodation will not only help us reach those ambitions, but also strengthen the offer that Nottingham has for students, ensuring we get the highest calibre of students in our city and attending our universities.” 

Designed by DAY Architectural, the student accommodation will offer a range of room types including studio flats and cluster living, and also features a high-level sky lounge, private courtyard, socialising and studying space.   

Christian Parnell, Bowmer + Kirkland regional director, said: “We are delighted to be a part of this significant milestone for the project.

"The topping out ceremony marks the one year anniversary that B + K started work on this site. Everyone – Conygar, consultants, and ourselves – have worked well together, and collaboratively, to get where we are today. We are now focused on delivering the project for next year’s student intake.”  

Craig Bryant, strategy and business development director at Fresh, said: “The topping out today is a hugely significant milestone as we move a step closer to welcoming our first cohort of students to their new home in 2024.

"Fresh has been involved throughout the development, providing advisory services to ensure our unique insight has been designed into the scheme from the beginning to deliver what students want and to exceed our client’s expectations.

"The Island Quarter is set to be a very exciting development in this great university city, and we can’t wait to add 693 beds to our existing presence in Nottingham.”