University hall of residence gets ramp revamp

Released: 14.09.23

Plymouth Marjon University has given its halls an accessibility overhaul in works to upgrade and retrofit its onsite accommodation for students starting this September. The University has increased its available accommodation for students with mobility impairments by adapting its existing facilities. 

Plymouth Marjon has seven halls of residence, some of which are original from 1973 when the University first opened its doors in Plymouth, having been previously located in Chelsea, London. The University’s Dix Hall is named after an early principal of St John’s College, Reverend George Henry Dix. Dix Hall was part of the second generation of student accommodation to be built on Marjon’s Plymouth campus. 

Dix Hall, similar to three other residential buildings, is made up of six flats, each with six bedrooms, some with purpose-built ensuite wet rooms, and a shared kitchen-diner with lowered worktops for students with mobility impairments. The entrance to Dix Hall now has a new ramp too, making the halls safer and easier to access. The building is also receiving a heating upgrade, ready for the cooler months this winter. 

Dix Hall sits alongside six other halls of residence on the University’s campus, allowing students to live comfortably and close to their studies along with on-campus amenities like Marjon Stores, Marjon Arts Centre, and the Marjon Sport & Health Centre. 

Marjon Project Manager, Peter Kay, has overseen the works on the halls. Peter said: 

“Making our halls of residence more accessible to students is a natural step for our inclusive community. The whole university experience is for everyone, and updating and adapting our halls to enable this helps to ensure everyone has the opportunity to access higher education.” 

In a bid to support students during the cost of living crisis earlier this year, the University unveiled its Accommodation Bursary. The bursary gives students claiming the highest level maintenance loan from Student Finance England an additional £1,000 off their Marjon accommodation costs and is still available to claim for first-year students starting with the University in September 2023. 

Find out more about accommodation at Plymouth Marjon here, find out more about the University’s support for students here, and learn more about the accommodation bursary and how to apply here.