Alpro Door Closers Enhances Student Security At Dorchester House In Bournemouth

The transom closers are a means of hydraulically controlling the opening and closing of aluminum doors

Overhead transom door closers from Alpro have been installed at a student accommodation development in Bournemouth.

The transom closers are a means of hydraulically controlling the opening and closing of aluminum doors. They are being used at Dorchester House, a 540-bed residence let exclusively during term time to Bournemouth University and students on Kaplan International Colleges programmes.

The transom units can have light, medium or heavy spring strengths to suit type of usage, with a 90 degree hold-open option. This is particular important for a student population which may include wheelchair-users, and site managers appreciate the ability to fine-tune the door force.

Transom overhead door closers are contained within the transom header bar of the door and have minimal impact on building profiles. In this way, the outline of Dorchester House has not been compromised. Student security is paramount at the site: access is by secure electronic key, there is extensive CCTV and a 24-hour staff presence.

North Cheshire Contracts, who installed the transom closers, have also fitted Alpro’s locks, latches and handles from the Impressionist O2 series. These are offset cranked pull handles with a bold modern appearance and are available from stock in aluminum or stainless steel. There is a range of nylon-coated colours and, with extra lead-time, it is possible to match precisely a client’s livery.

Keith Parry, Sales Director at Alpro, said: “Our user profile among university buildings and student residences is now very wide and we have become a ‘go-to’ supplier for this type of equipment. In addition to this application, Alpro door closers are being used at university sites in Portsmouth, Liverpool, Westminster and Greenwich.

Dorchester House is owned and run by The Student Housing Company, an innovative company in the student accommodation sector that currently has residences in nine cities ranging from Plymouth to Edinburgh. This purpose-built site was opened in 2012. It offers ensuite rooms in a mix of three to seven-bed cluster flats and 68 self-contained studio apartments. Transport links are excellent with Bournemouth train and bus station being only 200 metres away.

The main civils contractor at Dorchester House was Watkin Jones Group who are one of the UK’s leading providers of student accommodation having created over 20,000 student units in prime locations nationwide since 1999. The development process was managed by Christchurch-based Gilltown.