Consortium progresses £400m Manchester student scheme
Viridis Living, a JV between Equitix, Graham Construction, and Derwent FM has submitted reserved matters plans to redevelop the Owens Park campus in Fallowfield.
The £400m project will see much of the University of Manchester’s 23-acre student complex off Wilmslow Road demolished and replaced with buildings of five to 15 storeys that will provide 3,300 homes overall.
This is an increase of around 1,000 bedspaces net. The scheme will also feature around 50,000 sq ft of space dedicated to pastoral care and student wellbeing.
A central hub building will provide student amenities. Credit: via planning documents
Outline permission for the project is already in place and the consortium has retained architect Sheppard Robson as it pushes towards a start on site.
The submission of a reserved matters application comes after the Equitix-led consortium secured the £400m job last July.
Deloitte is advising on planning. Kennedy Redford, Thompson Environmental Consultants, RPS, OFR, Envision, Buro Happold, Cundall, Mosart, and Steven Levrant Heritage Architecture are also advising.
Learn more by searching for reference number 142387/MO/2025 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.
It is not only the University of Manchester planning a significant overhaul of some its student accommodation. Earlier this year, Manchester Metropolitan University, in partnership with Unite, announced plans to drastically increase the density of its All Saints campus.
The project will see the number of beds on site increase from 770 to more than 2,300.
- Credit: via planning documents
- Credit: via planning documents
As a former student, I’m glad to see the redevelopment of parts of the campus (looking at you Oak House!) that are unfit for purpose. Also great to hear the numbers of rooms provided will increase. Can’t continue having students living as far as Liverpool or Huddersfield!
The outer 6ish storey blocks look great. They’re double the height of the old ones, but still relatively human-scale, and the design suits the character of the campus.
Really not a fan of the 9-15 storey central blocks though. No problem with high-density living for students, but many studies show students don’t feel as comfortable in high-rises due to feelings of isolation, often compounded by the lack of interaction with ground level visibility. (Here’s the planning student in me coming out!)
5-6 storey blocks (but more of them to compensate for height) would seem more appropriate. It’s a good middle-ground!
By Anonymous