The 42 second-year students are studying for a BSc (Hons) in Quantity Surveying which includes construction technology, economics, measurement, contracts and law.

James Palmer from Shawfair LLP hosted the tour and arranged for the students to visit housebuilder Mactaggart & Mickel’s Millerhill site where a second phase of development has begun.

He said: “The new town of Shawfair is notable in that it will have a real town centre with a community campus at its heart and a railway station right next door, with new roads, cycleways, green space and housing too.

“We were delighted to give the students a glimpse of our ambitions for Shawfair and to discuss the particular challenges that we have overcome by working in collaboration with the authorities, stakeholders and local community.”

The tour was organised by Dr Gayan Wedawatta, a senior lecturer in the Built Environment and programme leader for Quantity Surveying at Northumbria University.

He said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to observe a project of this magnitude and realise the practicalities and complexities involved. Discussions with the Shawfair team enabled students to reflect on how some of the subjects they learn at the university apply to a project of this nature.

“The visit also enabled our students to observe ongoing housebuilding work and study building technologies. We would like to thank Shawfair and Mactaggart & Mickel for providing our students with an excellent site visit.”

Peter Shepherd, a director of Mactaggart & Mickel, said: “We were happy to welcome the QS students to our Millerhill development. We explained how we plan and manage our complex housebuilding programme, while also being conscious of the wider Shawfair developments and infrastructure which are progressing at the same time.”