Latest News

Mears has been appointed Facilities Management provider to the University of Cambridge’s North West Cambridge Development.The development is one of the largest capital projects that the University has undertaken in its 800-year history.It will address the issue of a lack of affordable accommodation for its staff as well as provide accommodation for post-graduate students and academic and commercial space.The development includes 3,000 homes (50% ‘key worker’ housing for University and Colleges employees), 2,000 post-graduate student spaces, 100,000 sqm of research space, a community centre and local facilities including a primary school, nursery, doctors’ surgery, supermarket and retail units, as well as all of the site-infrastructure and landscaping for the scheme.The development has been designed as an extension to the city, and designed to the highest quality and an exemplar of sustainable living.Mears will be responsible for providing a total facilities management service, including grounds and building maintenance and security, as well as car parking management, waste services, cleaning and pest control.Warren Forsyth, Operations Director for the North West Cambridge Development, said: “The University has aspirations for the development to be a new district of the highest quality with long-lasting buildings and public realm that the community can be proud of. The management of the estate will be an important part of all that we hope to achieve. We look forward to working with the team from Mears to plan and deliver an exceptional service for the estate and our incoming residents.”Kevin Woodcock, Managing Director for Mears Facilities Management, said: “We feel privileged to be working with the University of Cambridge on such an innovative and exciting project. We already work in some of the UK’s finest heritage sites including, The National Archives at Kew, English Heritage’s Kenwood House and Marble Hill Park in Richmond. We pride ourselves on providing a high quality service with a strong focus on customer service.”The first phase of the development, called Eddington, is now open to the community. Mears has been working with the University to take over the buildings and estate lands from the construction team in addition to setting up the processes for managing the operational estate.