Alumnno and Fresh Student Living are launching the first show room at their Benedict’s Gate student residence.

Contractors HG Construction is making progress on the building works – which is on target for completion in September 2020 – and have now set up a ground floor studio room, providing keen students with an opportunity to get a feel for their new home.

The Benedict’s Gate scheme will offer 302 en-suite and studio rooms for students, along with communal kitchens and lounges. The landscaping around the development is said to be of high quality, providing vibrant and sustainable outdoor space and other modern sustainable features.

There will also be a new public car park to be run by the city council, which will assist local businesses and ensure St Benedict’s remains a lively independent shopping destination.

Furthermore, Alumno will include public art installations that will focus on promoting the heritage and history of the Roman Wall and aims to work with a ceramic artist to design a bespoke mural.

In terms of economic impact, the development is expected to bring commercial benefit to the west of Norwich City Centre by delivering an increased residential student population within the area supporting existing traders and businesses. What’s more, HG Construction will be bringing approximately £20.6 million into the area in terms of jobs on-site during the build.

David Campbell, manager director of Alumno, says Benedict’s Gate is ‘another leap forward in terms of offering students who choose to study in Norwich high-quality, secure and modern accommodation’.

He adds: “It is important for the future residents of our latest Norwich development to be able to explore and experience the locality and environment they will be living in, which is why we’ve launched a show studio room now.”

“As with all Alumno schemes, we have taken great care to engage with the surrounding local businesses and residents. The new student communities will be a welcome boost for local businesses, and the new community and cultural hub this creates will drive further investment and opportunities in the west of city centre.”

Paul Bailey, accommodation manager at UEA, adds: “Following the success of our partnership with Alumno with Pablo Fanque House we are pleased to be working with them again to provide our students with another high-quality purpose-built residence in the heart of Norwich. We are looking forward to welcoming the first UEA student residents to Benedict’s Gate in September 2020.”