Contractor fails to finish building on time

650 students arriving at Lancaster University for the start of term will be without accommodation after contractor Jarvis failed to complete a building programme on time.

The troubled company, which has been named as preferred bidder on the contract to rebuild the Cork School of Music, has announced it would not seek new construction work earlier this year, apart from those projects it was already committed to.

Student union representatives criticised the company for the delay. The university said the affected students would be in new rooms before Christmas.