What can I expect from University of Staffordshire’s new Student Village?

Hi! It's Ellie here from the Social Media team at University of Staffordshire. Earlier this month I got to go on a BTS tour of University of Staffordshire's new Student Village to bring you the scoop.

I spoke to Jess Grieg, from Willmott Dixon, the team bringing our new Student Village at University of Staffordshire to life, to find out more on what you can expect! Spoiler alert: it’s looking amazing! If you’re planning to join us from 2026, here’s what you can look forward to...

The Village Hub

The Village Hub and the associated square is the first, (and very grand!) arrival point when entering the Village from the campus and had been planned to be the heart and soul of the Student Village, bringing you all together in an extraordinary space.

It’s been designed over four levels, with entry points at each one and, importantly, universal access to every part of the site is facilitated by the lifts in the building, making it super accessibility friendly (there are stairs too, for those keen fit-bitters!).

The Hub has been placed with a clear visual link across from The Catalyst building, so you’ll be able to easily see it across the way and will be only approx. 5-minute walk from there! It can be reached from the existing campus using the new pedestrian bridge and boardwalk across the River Trent.

The Hub is going to hold individual and group study areas, flexible use space, and an outdoor seating area on the rooftop terrace, in the hopes that this array of space will enhance your learning!

As an added bonus, it’s also been designed to be environmentally friendly with a glulam and cross laminated timber frame, roof-mounted photovoltaic panels which will create on-site renewable electricity, and air source heat pumps will minimise energy demands for hot water and heating, so it’s totally planet loving too.

We really hope you will enjoy the Village Hub as somewhere inspirational to work, rest and play!

Focus on student rooms...

We recognise that your student accommodation can have a major impact on your mental wellbeing as your room serves both as a personal retreat and an important workspace. That’s why we wanted to design your rooms so they lend themselves perfectly to being an organised and comfortable space which will help promote a positive environment and be a calm retreat amid the typical university pressures and demands!

In the Cluster Blocks, some of the highlights that a typical bedroom will be fitted out with, include:

- A 2.1m x 1.2m bed with headboard and storage underneath (hooray for starfishing!)

- A wide double wardrobe with 3 integral drawers (you can go wild on Vinted now...)

- Full length wall mounted mirror (whit woo!)

- Bedside storage shelving adjacent to the bed, with power socket (cute lamp…we see you)

- Lovely co-ordinated furniture design throughout the room (life is better when it matches)

- Adjustable shelving above the pinboard up to the ceiling (we won’t judge you if you decide to just store extra snacks here!)

-1.4m desk with a desk pin board to adjacent wall (to pin all your hopes and dreams to)

- Ergonomic desk chair (use it, trust us, your back will thank us in 30 years!)

Each of these rooms will be arranged in Cluster units of 8, 9 or 10 rooms, and each unit will contain a shared kitchen/dining/living space, with ground floor units having access to their own terrace to the rear.