Morgan Cole's Cardiff-based public/private projects team has advised Balfour Beatty subsidiary Cowlin Construction on the completion of a £77 million contract to build new student accommodation blocks at the University of Exeter.

The scheme comprising 1,948 new student accommodation units has been commissioned by University Partnerships Programme Limited and forms part of the University’s £400 million capital programme.

Cowlin’s portfolio of student accommodation projects also includes the Tai Cartrefi campus at Swansea University, recently completed projects at Bangor University (£30 million) and Plymouth University (£37 million), as well as current projects in Exeter and Winchester which total £21 million.

University of Exeter is one of a series of projects which UPP have with universities across the country to improve and increase accommodation stock and release capital for academic use.

Legal advice to Cowlin and its parent company was provided by Morgan Cole Partner Simon McCann, who specialises in major public/private projects and also advises on public procurement and constitutional/administrative issues. He was supported by Associate Peter Allbrook and solicitor Rebeca Leigh.

Before joining Morgan Cole, Simon led the health legal team at the National Assembly for Wales.

His recent experience includes advising Asteral on a 35-year, £130 million managed equipment services contract for clinical equipment as part of the Peterborough Hospitals PFI scheme, the Designed for Life: Building for Wales framework for the construction of future Welsh hospitals, which has delivered investment in new hospitals of over £250 million, and acting for Philips Medical Systems on a £110 million-plus imaging equipment and IT systems PFI in Belfast.

He said, "The success of the University of Exeter project for our clients Balfour Beatty and Cowlin again demonstrates the quality of legal advice in the major project sector that exists in Wales.

"Our team has established a UK-wide reputation in this area and we are currently involved in advising a number of other projects which will spell further good news for our Cardiff office."