Demolition of Greenbank started to make way for fancy refurb

Legendary halls Greenbank are being knocked down as part of a multi-million pound refurb.

Demolition has begun to make way for swanky new facilities and even more accommodation space, costing £90 million.

As demand for on-campus accommodation is increasing every year, the University has decided to subject the Greenbank Road halls to a massive upgrade, as part of a £250m refurbishment of campuses across the city.

Greenbank, as well as Carnatic, is some of the cheapest accommodation on offer at the moment.

It’s no Crown Place, but it looks like the future of Greenbank will be equally luxurious and a good place to live.

Not looking too good at the minute though

Currently home to a small proportion of first year students, the refurbishment will increase room space by 40 per cent, as well as building new sports facilities and catering areas.

Pro-vice-chancellor for student experience said the halls will “match the high-standard of the surrounding residential area”. A tough one.

Julian Jefferies, first year Greenbank resident, is appalled by the social effects of the demolition.

He said: “It’s hindered our ability to befriend students across at Derby and Rathbone, massacring a substantial social aspect of being a Greenbank resident.

“The polluting, destructive sight of the building work is upsetting to see, knowing how beautiful the area used to be, and what it could have been.”

He’s not wrong

The historic Greenbank House (a fancy mansion no one really knows about) is also set to receive a £5m investment.

Artists’ impressions of what the site will look like when finished were recently released, modelling a similar building to Vine Court – high brick halls and fancy windows.

The new Greenbank will not be ready come September, so the first years currently living there have had to deal with the beginnings of the demolition, and will continue to live on this building site until summer comes around.

First year Rowan Woollcombe, who lives in Carnatic, simply said: “Nah, it’s not affected us.”

While first year Mani John-Clare asked the ongoing question of: “Who cares about Greenbank?”

Of course the results remain to be seen, but a final date of completion has not been set, so it’s anybody’s guess as to how it will pan out.