Construction of Student Hub halted

Building work on Greenwich and Kent’s (GK) Students’ Union’s Student Hub has been put on pause following the contractor going into administration.

Cardy Construction Limited was chosen to build the Students’ Union building on the Medway campus, however with the future of the company in question, work has halted on the site.

The Student Hub was expected to open on Arrivals Weekend 2016, with an official launch in October, but the opening of the SU building has now been delayed to later in the Autumn Term.

Kent Union have said in a statement: “Following a short delay, construction on the GK Unions Student Hub on the Medway campus is set to continue. The brand new £4.6 million construction project is set to open in the Autumn Term.

“The universities of Greenwich and Kent are already in advanced negotiations with a potential new contractor after confirmation that the existing contractor, Cardy, had entered administration. It is expected that work will resume in the next few weeks.

“With over 2,000 new students set to arrive at Medway in September, the delay in construction will not affect the customary welcome events that will continue on campus as planned, including the Freshers’ Fair and Freshers’ Ball.”

The Student Hub, announced in 2015 and named in 2016, has thus far had the building’s former swimming pool filled in and the GK unions have advertised student staff positions at the hub. The previous use of the building has been given a nod to in the name chosen for the bar, The Deep End.

Two days prior to Cardy Construction Limited going into administration, the respective Students’ Union presidents of Kent and Greenwich put up an article about what the hub means to Medway. This article has since been removed.

Work on the Student Hub began on 3 August 2015. Photos of construction and artists impressions of the completed building can be seen here or in the gallery below.