A "Ghost" building.

A legal battle over this student residential block looks set to rumble on.

The building should have been welcoming its first residents in 2017

 but disputes involving the developers, the builders and the planning authorities,

have so far made their way up to the Court of Appeal, 

and still no resolution appears to be in sight.

It is unlikely that they will be open for business when the new academic year starts this month.

It's a mystery

This large student accommodation complex suffered some unexpected delays 

during its construction, but since completion many months ago, it is still without a single occupant.

Variations on a theme.

 

This is the latest in  a very long list of student accommodation blocks 

to be completed in the city centre.

You do three long years, and what do you get?

Another day older and deeper in debt.
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go,
I owe my soul to the Student Loan Company.

 With apologies to Tennessee Ernie Ford

 

Freshers Week

Despite delays in the completion of this student accommodation block,

this wing of the complex has opened in time for the commencement of the academic year.

The 21 storey centrepiece of this development is now scheduled to be ready for occupation 

at Christmas, when the whole development will house 500 hundred students,

 in a variety of accommodation modules.

Engulfed

This once prestigious corner house at the bottom of Lockyer Street, 

in the heart of the Victorian city, is rapidly being overwhelmed 

by the remorseless building of more student accommodation blocks.

The Timeline

A Timeline is a visual representation of a period of time, on which important events are marked.

This window sill, in a student accommodation block near the University,

seems to mark the passage of the weeks of this semester,

and probably commemorates some pretty 'hectic' weekends. 

Taking Shape

Beckly Court, the tallest of the current crop of student accommodation blocks (78m 22 storeys),

 is on schedule for opening in September, providing a variety of rental patterns for 507 students.

                   Two days ago                                                       Artist's impression of the finished block.

Halfway

Builders have reached the eleventh floor on their way to the top floor, number 22,

of this student accommodation block, opposite the University Campus.

 It is due to be open in September 2017.

 

"Now you two, play nicely together."

 

These two cranes are working on what will be a 21 storey student accommodation block.

Rising from the dust of demolition

Work has just begun on the new, 21 storey, student accommodation block in the city centre.

 

 

This was the scene in October, as the demolition of the previous building on the site, was nearing completion. 

 

This picture, taken from the cab of one of the cranes, gives an idea of the view to the sea from the 21st floor, for some lucky student.

There is much local discussion about the quantity of "student accommodation"

 that is currently being built in the city.

This is not a dream.

but if this is not a dream,

how did I end up in the city centre in my pyjamas?

The Class of 2015

One of the Faculty Graduation Ceremonies at the University of St Mark and St John, Plymouth.

 

 

 

 

Now the formalities are finished let's get the party started.

MUNCH and CRUNCH

Work proceeds on the demolition of the YMCA building, very near to the University Campus.

In its place there is to be a 22 floor student accommodation block.

This is what is was.

This is what it will be very shortly.

The "Girlfriend"

This life sized cut-out was spotted in the window at a Plymouth University student residence .

Graduation Week

For the week of this year's Graduation Ceremonies at Plymouth University

the weather couldn't have been better.

The rolling programme of ceremonies, for the graduating classes from the different faculties, 

 takes place in a very attractive 'Tented Village' running along almost the whole of the Promenade, looking out over Plymouth Sound

In late September sunshine it is a superb location.

 At no other time in the year are so many thousand portraits posed for,both group and individual.

And Plymouth Sound serves as a background for nearly every photo for the family album.  

Iridescence

After the recent weeks almost endless gloom and rain, 

it was easy to forgot how the iridescent cladding on this student accommodation block 

changes colour as the low winter sunshine moves across the face of the corner tower.

The city's latest student accommodation blocks

 .... opened just in time for the new academic year and their 500 students have settled in,

and appear to have survived Freshers' Week.

It turned out just like the architect's impression.

Very few "dreaming spires" .....

 ...... but a tremendous amount of glass and right angles.

The University Quarter, in the centre of the city, was gridlocked yesterday afternoon 

as hundreds of new students arrived and started moving their stuff into the Halls of Residence.

Another Totem Pole

I came across this one as I crossed the Plymouth University Campus.

This brings to three the number of Totem poles I know of in the city.