Civil engineering contractor O’Brien has been appointed on the giant £30 million Eastside Locks student development.

Located in Birmingham’s growing learning quarter, Alumno Developments’ Number 1 City Locks will provide accommodation for 659 students.

Work has already begun on the scheme next to Birmingham City University’s new £260 million facilities, forging a new vibrant and rejuvenated campus in the heart of the city centre.

The Eastside Locks contract, awarded by principal contractor, John Sisk, will see O’Brien deliver groundworks, drainage and landscaping.

Tony Mitchell, operations manager at O’Brien Contractors, said: “Eastside is Birmingham’s largest physical regeneration scheme and we are very proud to be chosen to provide groundworks and enabling works for John Sisk, on such a flagship scheme.

“We will be operating to a very tight programme, within a very constrained site and key to the overall success of the project, will be our philosophy of working openly and collaboratively with our clients, from the beginning, to ensure we identify and resolve any unforeseen problems which may lie ahead.”

Established in 1958 as a regional specialist contractor, O’Brien has previously delivered a host of education sector schemes.

They include £5 million of works for Aston University at the Aston Student Village in Birmingham and £6 million of infrastructure works and groundworks for SDC as part of the construction of a new main campus building at Northampton College.