Construction to start on massive new TUS Athlone building
Contracts have been signed for the construction of a massive new Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) building at TUS Athlone campus.
The new building is one of six to be delivered by a Public Private Partnership (PPP), an overall price tag of approximately €250 million ex VAT.
The others are located in the Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) Tallaght and Blanchardstown campuses; Munster Technological University (MTU) campuses in Cork and Tralee, and in the Institute of Art, Design and Technology(IADT), Dún Laoghaire.
Funding for what was then announced as a €15m Athlone building project was confirmed in late 2017 before a planning application was lodged in 2019 for the three-storey STEM building with a massive floor area of over 65,000 square feet (6,000 square metres).
The new building alone will cater for some 800 students, but will free up space elsewhere on campus to allow an overall intake of over 1,300 extra students.
The new STEM development will include science labs, lecture theatres, classrooms, and other facilities.
The contract has been awarded to the Enbarr Partnership, comprising Macquarie Capital Group Ltd. (equity provider), JJ Rhatigan & Company (construction contractor) and Sodexo (facilities management). The project will be funded by AIB, Bank of Ireland, Nord/LB, Korea Development Bank and Norinchukin Bank.
As with other PPP projects in the education sector, the contract type is design, build, finance and maintain. The Enbarr Partnership will construct the buildings using private finance, and will then operate and maintain the buildings over a period of 25 years. Payment by the Department will be by way of monthly unitary charge over the 25 year operational period, commencing once construction has been completed.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris welcomed the conclusion and signing of the contracts for the construction of the six new buildings.
He said: “This is a really important development in higher education.
“The construction of these buildings on multiple campuses across the country will improve the educational experience for current and future generations of students.
“It also represents an important milestone in the Government’s Higher Education PPP programme and illustrates a commitment to investment in the higher education sector.
“We look forward to the construction progression of each of these six buildings over the coming years and look forward to welcoming the first students to the new buildings. The future is bright.”
When all six buildings are completed, they will comprise circa 38,060 of additional building space at the campuses and will cater for 5,147 additional student places. In addition, the provision of these buildings will free up space in existing buildings and allow for new student places.
Westmeath Fine Gael Minister Peter Burke TD has warmly welcomed the news from Minister Simon Harris
“I understand that contracts have now officially been signed to commence the construction of a brand new, 6,000 square metre STEM building on the campus of TUS.
“We have seen since TUS was officially declared a Technological University by Minister Simon Harris last year that the TUS has gone from strength to strength. We are lucky to have such a world class facility on our doorstep, offering globally recognised and gold standard higher education to our student population, young and old”.