The University of Melbourne has awarded to Campus Living Villages (CLV) the contract for the development of a new student facility in Carlton.

The project involves the design, build, finance, operation and maintenance for a period of 38 years. The new facility will be built by Watpac Construction.

The 648-bed student accommodation facility will be built on the site located at 108-128 Leicester Street and is expected to be completed in late 2015 and opened in time for Semester 1, 2016. The university plans to provide at least 2000 new student beds by 2020.

Michael Heffernan, CLV Australia's Chief Executive Officer, stated:

We are very pleased to be working in partnership with the University of Melbourne. This is a partnership two years in the making. We look forward to applying our global experience to provide quality facilities and a supportive residential community for University of Melbourne students.

It was important to both CLV and the University that the design of the accommodation achieved a 5 Green Star Sustainability Design Rating. Features such as high performance insulation and glazing systems, solar panels, cross ventilation, and high efficiency fixtures and fittings have been incorporated into the design to achieve this important environmental rating.

State Manager for Watpac Construction in Victoria Nick Pavlovic said the work undertaken to date would see the delivery of an exceptional facility that meets the 5 star Green Star Rating for a multi-unit residential complex and was planned to maximize solar access and amenity.