Creating an inclusive community on campus: University of Staffordshire’s Student Village
Nick Preedy, Senior Project Manager in the Midlands, reflects on the important role social infrastructure plays in designing student living spaces.
As part of the team at Willmott Dixon working on University of Staffordshire’s Student Village project, I recently sat down with Sally McGill, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, for a ‘Building knowledge’ podcast to explore creating inclusive communities on campus.
The importance of social infrastructure
Social infrastructure is about creating spaces where people can interact, build relationships, and access essential services. In the context of university life, it means creating environments that support students socially, emotionally, and academically.
Sally highlighted that the University of Staffordshire is dedicated not only to academic excellence but also to creating spaces where students can thrive in all aspects of life.
Building community through design
We’ve embraced this vision by ensuring the student village goes beyond just providing accommodation; we have integrated flexible learning spaces and social hubs to ensure the design responds to the changing dynamics of student life.
A central hub of 2,000 sqm will serve as the heart of the community - a multifunctional space where students can meet, collaborate, or relax. Sally explained that social infrastructure should be about more than just academic spaces; it should be a place that cultivates connections and fosters well-being, and we ensured this was considered as part of the design.
Inclusivity and accessibility
A key aspect of the project has been designing with inclusivity in mind. Sally emphasised that accessibility shouldn’t be an afterthought; it must be integrated into every stage of the process. We’ve worked closely with student representatives and the student union to ensure the village is accessible and adaptable for all students, regardless of their background or individual needs. Features such as larger rooms for wheelchair access and fire alarm pillows for those with hearing impairments are just a few examples of how inclusivity has been prioritised in design.
Sustainability at the core
Sustainability has also been a key priority. The student village is designed to be energy-efficient, with renewable energy generation on-site, and the university is exploring the possibility of exporting energy back into the site’s broader operations. As Sally noted, sustainability is not just about environmental impact but also about instilling habits in students that will help them become more conscious of their own environmental footprint. We hope the village can serve as a model for how student accommodation can balance environmental responsibility with high-quality living spaces.
Collaboration for success
Collaboration has been at the heart of this project’s success. Working closely with the university, students, and other key stakeholders, has been essential in creating a space that truly meets the needs of the student community.
The use of the Design, Build, Finance, Operate (DBFO) model has allowed the university to bring together all the right expertise - designers, contractors, facilities management and finance partners - from the outset. It meant that the project could be designed with long-term operation in mind, identifying challenges early and building in solutions that will benefit students over the full 50-year lifecycle of the project. From technical decisions like how to power essential services, to operational elements that ensure a high-quality residential experience, DBFO has enabled a joined-up, value-driven approach. For a project of this scale and importance, it’s been the right model to deliver a sustainable, efficient, and future-ready student village.
As we near the completion of the first phase of the project, I am proud of what we've achieved. The village is more than just a place to live - it’s a space where students can grow, collaborate, and form lasting connections. This project has proven that thoughtful design and the right delivery model can have a lasting impact on the student experience, and I believe it will serve as a model for future student living spaces.
Find out more here about how buildings, spaces and facilities help to foster a sense of belonging, promote wellbeing and support social cohesion on campus.