Work starts on Tiger’s £40m Manchester PBSA
After a 2.5-year planning wait, O’Flynn Group’s student accommodation specialist has appointed GMI Construction and building has begun, aiming to complete for the 2027/28 academic year.
Tiger Developments’ project will see the transformation of 88-90 Carmoor Road in Ardwick from garage and day nursery into two interconnected student accommodation blocks offering 172 bedrooms.
Designed by Lechler Hayes Architects, the buildings will grow from three to six storeys. The accommodation will range from cluster apartments to studios. Around 15% of the 172 beds will be available for discounted market rent.
The PBSA blocks are due to have an EPC rating of A and a BREEAM score of Excellent.
The project has an estimated gross development value of £40m. Finance for the project was partially supplied by Hampshire Trust Bank.
When GMI completes construction, the building will be operated by Tiger’s own student accommodation platform, Host Student Housing.
The Carmoor Road project has been some time in the making, with Manchester city councillors voting to approve the scheme in June 2023. A formal approval from the city council’s planning team, however, did not arrive until December 2025.
John Nesbitt, managing director at Tiger Developments, said: “We are delighted to begin construction on our latest scheme in Manchester, a city that has strong demand for well-located student accommodation.
“This development reflects our commitment to delivering sustainable, thoughtfully designed homes for students, while also contributing positively to the local community. Through our trusted student housing brand Host, we look forward to welcoming students in time for the 2027/28 academic year.”
Phillip Johnson, the regional director for the North West at GMI, said the construction firm was ready to pull from its “extensive experience in delivering high-quality projects across the region”.
“We will work closely with Tiger Developments to ensure the project is delivered to the highest standards throughout construction,” he said.
In addition to Tiger’s Carmoor project, GMI is also on site with Alumno and Invesco Real Estate’s nearby £29m Moss Lane East PBSA.
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