Plymouth University invests £8.5m in Cornwall health education

Cornwall’s future doctors, dentists and other frontline health professionals are to benefit from a new multimillion pound development at the county’s premier health education hub.

Plymouth University has announced the development of new on-campus student and medical staff accommodation at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust in Truro.

Work starts today and will be celebrated with a ceremonial ‘ground breaking’ ceremony led by Plymouth University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wendy Purcell and Steve Tapson, Regional Director of BAM Construction Ltd.

The £8.5 million bespoke development will accommodate RCHT medical staff, together with Plymouth University and Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry (PCMD) students studying at its Truro base.

Plymouth University Vice-Chancellor, Wendy Purcell commented: “As the leading higher education provider in the county, we have a long and proud partnership commitment to furthering research, enterprise and innovation opportunities in Cornwall. Development of medical, dental and health education is critical to addressing health inequalities in the county and this starts with offering a first class and complete student experience.”

Professor Steve Thornton, Dean from PCMD said: “This development builds on the success of the Peninsula Dental School dental training facility in Cornwall and the opening of the European Centre for the Environment and Human Health, which is already building an international reputation for its work. We welcome Plymouth University's leadership and foresight which will encourage tomorrow’s doctors, dentists and health professionals to train, work and settle here long into the future.”

BAM’s Steve Tapson added: “BAM is renewing a partnership with Plymouth University that saw us deliver its flagship Roland Levinsky Building. BAM is listed in Britain’s Greenest Companies so we are very pleased to be working once again with one of the top ‘green’ universities in the UK. It’s also great for us to be renewing our relationship with PCMD for whom we built John Bull House, its headquarters in Plymouth.”

The new development aims to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ status. It will feature a timber frame, terracotta cladding and curtain walling, and a zinc roof arranged over four storeys. It will house 230 bedrooms with modern facilities, but will retain a ‘domestic’ feel in keeping with the surrounding neighborhood.

ENDS