A LOCAL manufacturer has played a significant role in a new and prestigious Liverpool student housing development.

Easingwold-based York Handmade Brick Company, which is one of the leading independent brickmakers in the country, has supplied specially manufactured bricks for the Renshaw Hall development.

Altogether York Handmade provided bricks 200,000 bricks, worth £160,000, for the site, which is located on the edge of the Rodney Street Conservation Area in Liverpool city centre, close to two universities.

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Mark Laksevics of York Handmade said: “This was a very significant commission for us and we are absolutely delighted with the result.

"Although we are based in Yorkshire, we have a strong track record across the Pennines and Renshaw Hall is an important addition to our work in the North West, which includes all the bricks for Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester.

“As Renshaw Hall is in a conservation area, the challenge was to produce a brick which was sympathetic to its surroundings. We created a rough and aged red Thirkleby Blend brick which has fitted in seamlessly with the adjacent red brick Georgian townhouses and squares.

“We were part of a great team with superb architectural work from Falconer Chester Hall and construction by the Claritas Group. The result is that Renshaw Hall has been entered for the prestigious Brick Awards, the Oscars of the brick industry, which take place in London this autumn.”

York Press: Mark LaksevicsMark Laksevics (Image: York Handmade)

Renshaw Hall comprises 404 student bedrooms, all of which have excellent views over the Liverpool skyline. The scheme features a cinema, games room, gym and social spaces, including private dining and a sky lounge. To provide a balance, quiet study areas and meeting facilities are incorporated into the communal spaces.

Quentin Keohane, Director at Falconer Chester Hall, said: “We looked at various Material options and settled on York Handmade’s Thirkleby blend, manufactured at their North Yorkshire brick factory from their own reserves of Triassic Mudstone Clay.

“It was crucially important that York Handmade’s red brick correctly matched the adjacent brickwork, whilst offering the texture and roughness to provide interest over large elevational areas. The result is superb.

“It was also important for us that York Handmade were members of the Brickmakers Quality Charter, ensuring the highest standards of ethical and sustainable brick manufacturing were closely adhered to in its production.

“York Handmade Brick delivers many benefits beyond the obvious aesthetic, including a robust finish that stands the test of time, ageing well and with no maintenance. The thermal mass of the brick helps to control the temperature of the building and it offers excellent fire and acoustic properties. Complementing the pigmented zinc to the upper levels allows the building to form an attractive, modern, addition to the Liverpool skyline.”