ProCon Members visit new developments at De Montfort University

ProCon members were invited on a tour of a very new and a very old building (newly restored) on De Montfort University’s campus.

The event began at The Venue@DMU, the former redundant John Sandford Sports Centre. Converted to a 3,000 square metre multi-use events and conference space, the building was a finalist in the ProCon Awards 2017.

Umesh Desai, DMU’s director of estates & commercial services, briefed ProCon members on the £136m campus transformation project.

The tours visited the largest single investment in DMU’s history, the new £55m Vijay Patel Building. It replaced the Fletcher Building and is home to DMU’s art and design courses.

The second destination for the tour was the Great Castle Hall, a £4m refurbishment of the 12th Century hall that was part of Leicester Castle.

Thought to be the oldest surviving aisled and bay-divided timber hall in Britain, the building was most recently used as a court and is now home to Leicester Castle Business School.

The dock, witness box and jury benches have been retained within an atmospheric debating and lecture chamber.