Mount Pleasant House, which now provides brand-new student accommodation for Cambridge University, completed in August 2019.
The scheme, which was led by Howard Osborne LLP in partnership with St Edmund’s College and Legal & General, involved the demolition of the Mount Pleasant office building and construction of 199 cluster bedrooms with shared kitchens and 73 studio bedrooms with kitchenettes within 4 blocks, ranging in height between 2 and 6-storeys.
The living accommodation was designed to meet the needs of the college graduate students, particularly the large standard en-suite study bedrooms of 17.5m², providing additional space for seating and storage. Externally the scheme comprises 2 courtyards and a pedestrian link to the college grounds.
Design and planning of this scheme were carefully considered to ensure the end result was both respectful of the buildings’ setting and their context within the Cambridge Conservation area. Public design consultations and feedback from the Local Authority resulted in a development which improves a prominent site and replaces a car-dependent development with one that focusses on walking, cycling and public transport.
We very much enjoyed being part of this interesting scheme, providing Due Diligence and Fund Monitoring services. The buildings are now leased to and operated by St Edmund’s College and University of Cambridge which are located immediately adjacent to Mount Pleasant House.