Fallowfield’s £400m transformation approved
Viridis Living has received reserved matters consent from Manchester City Council to allow it to proceed with the 3,300-bedroom redevelopment of the University of Manchester’s 24-acre Fallowfield Campus.
Plans to bring 3,300 modern student bedrooms and 48,500 sq ft of ancillary space for education and retail across 23 blocks will now be finalised in a detailed design and layout process after they were approved under delegated powers.
Enabling works are already underway at the site. The main construction programme is set to commence in early 2026, with a phased handover over the next four years, gradually bringing students back to the site.
The beds will be provided across five distinct neighbourhoods, each with its own identity, that will tie into a theme of Manchester’s cultural heritage, such as music, sport, and art.
Up to 80% of the rooms are to be a standard offer, while the remaining 20% will be sold at a premium.
Fallowfield’s £400m redevelopment will add 900 bedrooms to the student hotspot.
A two-storey central common area with an events and study area, supported by five separate single-storey neighbourhood hubs, will provide social spaces and amenities for tenants.
The consortium behind the plans comprises Equitix, Derwent FM, and Graham. It has worked alongside the city council, the university, and the local community to secure planning consent.
Architect Sheppard Robson has designed the scheme, and Deloitte has led the consortium through the application process.
The project team is targeting Passivhaus certification and a BREEAM Excellent rating. Modern methods of construction, such as off-site assembly and manufacturing, will help it achieve that goal.
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Before any construction can begin, the existing buildings on the site need to be cleared, some of which date back to the 1950s and have been deemed unsuitable for modern student living.
The 20-storey Owens Park tower in the site’s northwestern corner has already been demolished.
The central hub will be the main workspace and social area for students. Credit: via planning documents
Neil McFarlane, project director at Graham, said: “The approved plans reflect our commitment to delivering a quality development that meets the evolving needs of students and the university.
“The engagement with the local community and our response to challenging environmental targets have resulted in a well-received planning application.
“Inclusion, accessibility, and student wellbeing are embedded throughout the scheme, making this one of the most forward-thinking student accommodation developments in the UK.”
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Barra Marc Ruarí, chief property officer at the University of Manchester, said: “We are really pleased with the progress and see this as a major milestone in providing quality homes in Fallowfield with excellent student support facilities.
“This important project will deliver much-needed, high-quality, sustainable housing that keeps student wellbeing at its heart and reflects our commitment to long-term social infrastructure investment.”
Natalia Maximova, partner at Sheppard Robson, added: “The detailed proposals establish five distinct neighbourhoods, fostering a sense of belonging through varied colours, textures, and finishes.
“The new social hub and additional study areas provide a variety of spaces that encourage togetherness and help reduce stress and isolation.
“We have increased biodiversity through new green spaces and a car-free environment, helping to rebuild the student community at Fallowfield as part of one of the world’s largest Passivhaus developments.”
Consultants assisting the application include Kennedy Redford, Thompson Environmental Consultants, RPS, Landscape Projects, OFR, Envision, Buro Happold, Mosart, Cundall, and Steven Lavrant Heritage Architecture.
Those interested in the plans can view the application using the reference number 142387/MO/2025 in Manchester City Council’s planning portal.
Fallowfield used to have a great drinking scene for students, I’ve never seen a place go downhill as fast as this
By Anonymous
The area is in desperate need of revitalisation. Twenty years ago it was brimming with life. Now, it’s quite sad. And it’s decline has bled into the decline of Rusholme’s Curry Mile. Hopefully this is the boost it needs.
By Tom
Anonymous, I agree. Haven’t been there for years, but just did a quick google earth tour and Robinskis, Yo-Yos, Shed, Revolution, Bar XS and even Revolution have all gone. Furthermore, Sagaaan has disappeared. Sad times. (Pandoras still going strong it seems).
By Steve Ski
The last thing Fallowfield needs is more students. It needs affordable housing for local people
By Anonymous
Neil MacFarlane’s statement that the planning application was ‘well received’ by the local community is not correct, if by local community he means people who actually live in Fallowfield. Consultations were poorly advertised and scheduled at awkward times and many people who did find out about them and attended felt like they were just ‘tick box’ exercises. 697 people signed a petition against any increase in student numbers at Owens Park and several hundred wrote detailed objections. There were protests against the applications outside the hearing and many people felt that they were not listened to at any point in the process. At the hearing 1/2 people from the gallery shouted out in response to the proceedings, the police were immediately called and the committee decided to continue behind closed doors.
Fallowfield is already a very unbalanced neighbourhood. This accommodation is predominantly aimed at first years who will stay in halls in the first year and then a very high percentage stay on into the second year and move into HMOs in the area. This pattern has gone on for many years and has caused very serious harm to this area. This is not anti student, it is anti imbalance – we have no ill will towards students we just feel extremely upset that this has been allowed to happen. A highly transient community like this (many streets have an annual churn of 85% plus) creates a huge range of problems which are too far reaching and complex to go into here but we would really welcome a more in depth article about this where these issues can be fully explored. Students obviously bring many benefits to the city region but I think it’s really important that there’s a student strategy which considers all aspects and looks at how we can all benefit.
By Anonymous
Fallowfield used to be so vibrant, it’s now massively gone down hill. This scheme should be triple the size by building up to increase the student population to help rejuvenate the area.
By MC
The manner in which this development process was handled & pushed through without engagement of / meaningful consultation with local residents has done significant damage to the community and well being in the area.
To those in comments saying this should revitalise the area, I would ask if you would like to live in a street that’s been overdeveloped with unauthorised extensions, up to 11 beds per house, and all the late bars, take aways litter, rats & noise that go with it?
The older, established residents are now blighted & trapped, unable to move as a result of this unchecked imbalance- which will only be exacerbated by this scheme.
By Anon
When I saw the title of this it sounded like Fallowfield was actually getting a transformation but it is actually UoM’s Halls of Residence that are being ‘transformed’. This is a sign of just how far studentification has gone when this is a headline for an article. The article also refers to ‘distinct neighbourhoods’ on the site creating ‘a sense of belonging’ but the problem is that the people who actually live in Fallowfield itself increasingly feel that they have lost their neighbourhood and it’s character and with that their sense of belonging. We are unwelcome in our district centre and some bars and cafe/bars actually ban residents. Can you imagine that in your area? The neighbourhood has been starved of investment and thought for years but those of us who live here try very hard to maintain our community and there is a strong friendship between us. We should not be written off and ignored and treated like we don’t matter. We volunteer, we pay our council tax, this is our home. Fallowfield had a strong community going back to Victorian times, long before the university was here, and for many years students and residents mixed and enjoyed each other’s company. It worked because there was balance. Now the area has become polarised. It is very sad. I hope we can do something to restore a sense of pride in place and social cohesion.
By Anonymous
@Anonymous at 06:27 – there are no cafes/bars in fallowfield that ban residents. Your perfectly valid points about studentification are weakened and lessened by your hyperbole and false claims.
By Anonymous
@anonymous at 9.40. Sadly this isn’t hyperbole – one bar I know of have a total ban, they are on Wilmslow Road (not on UoM land but on the high street). They will not allow entry unless you have a Student Union card and there are at least 2 others that have restrictions, 1 of which won’t all people in after 9. This even applied when we saw there were no other customers there. I know it’s really hard to imagine but this is the case. This really doesn’t help bring about social cohesion and, as I say, I find this very sad – this is not written in anger, it’s simply what we have found.
By Anonymous