GRAHAM and Equitix alliance shortlisted for ICW award after 15 years of student housing work

Viridis Living, the alliance between contractor GRAHAM and investor Equitix, has been shortlisted in the Institute for Collaborative Working (ICW) Awards 2026, which GRAHAM said recognises a 15-year collaboration spanning three university accommodation programmes.

GRAHAM said the alliance has been shortlisted in the Unincorporated JV / Alliance-based Collaborations category. The ICW holds its annual awards event at the House of Lords.

The company said the two firms have worked together for 15 years, starting at the University of Salford, moving on to the University of York and now delivering the University of Manchester's Fallowfield campus redevelopment. GRAHAM's shortlist release described Manchester as a £500m-plus programme with 3,337 student bedrooms; its own financial close announcement put the value at £530m and the bed count at 3,300.

Neil McFarlane, Strategic Development Director at GRAHAM Investment Projects, said at financial close: "Projects of this scale can only be delivered through strong collaboration between the public and private sectors."

The Fallowfield deal

GRAHAM's shortlist release said financial close was achieved in July 2026. In its financial close announcement, GRAHAM said the £530m project would be delivered through a 50-year partnership between the University of Manchester, Equitix, GRAHAM and Rothesay, which GRAHAM described as the UK's largest specialist pensions insurer and the partnership's cornerstone funder.

The scheme covers Owens Park, Oak House and Woolton Hall and is designed as five neighbourhoods across the campus, according to the University of Manchester. Sheppard Robson is the architect. The project targets Passivhaus certification and a BREEAM Excellent rating, and GRAHAM said operational energy use would be about 50% lower than conventional new-build student accommodation.

Manchester City Council granted reserved matters planning consent in September 2025, the University said, with main construction scheduled to start in early 2026 following enabling works.

Hugh Crossley, CEO of Equitix, said at financial close: "This is a true partnership with the University of Manchester."

Building safety approvals

In the shortlist release, GRAHAM said early supply chain engagement had secured 90% of measured works before contract execution and that Building Safety Regulator Gateway 2 approvals had been achieved across all high-rise buildings.

In a separate release on the approvals, GRAHAM said the regulator had granted Gateway 2 approval for the first two of seven higher-risk buildings submitted at Fallowfield. The two buildings each have 14 storeys and provide 205 and 207 beds. GRAHAM said the project reached its first Building Safety Regulator approvals 15 weeks after planning consent.

The alliance also said it relies on open-book reporting, joint governance, integrated risk management and early supply chain involvement, and that an Advanced Works Contract enabled critical early works to progress while maintaining programme certainty.

The York precedent

The alliance's previous scheme, at the University of York, was a £130m project covering the design, build, financing and operation of three- and four-storey blocks, GRAHAM said. It created 1,480 beds across 18 accommodation blocks, with GRAHAM and Equitix acting as joint investors and Sheppard Robson as architect.

What happens next

GRAHAM's shortlist release said students would benefit from new accommodation at Fallowfield from 2027 onwards. The ICW's awards event, at which shortlisted entries are hosted, is held at the House of Lords.