GRAHAM appointed to build £45m student housing scheme at Marshgate Lane in Stratford

GRAHAM has been appointed by Gamuda Land UK Limited to build a £45m purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme at 14 Marshgate Lane in Stratford, east London, the contractor announced.

The site sits between Stratford High Street and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with Pudding Mill Lane Docklands Light Railway station about 100 metres from the main entrance, GRAHAM said. The scheme will provide 321 student bedspaces in a mix of cluster flats and self-contained studios.

Niall Farmer, Head of Gamuda Land UK Limited, said: "The appointment of GRAHAM marks an important milestone as we move into the delivery phase of Marshgate Lane, reflecting our confidence in Stratford as one of London's most dynamic and well-connected growth locations."

Pat O'Hare, Regional Director at GRAHAM, said: "This scheme responds to growing demand for high-quality student accommodation while creating an environment that supports wellbeing, encourages community and contributes positively to the wider area."

The scheme

Residents will have shared kitchen, dining and social spaces, a gym and games rooms, according to GRAHAM. An elevated communal space will run the length of the site, giving views over the surrounding waterways.

The ground floor will include 294 sq m of commercial space for artists' studios and workspace. The project also takes in a new road and improved pedestrian and cycle access from the northern side of the site.

CGIs for the scheme are credited to Henley Halebrown and Darc Studio.

Background

Gamuda Land announced its acquisition of the 14 Marshgate Lane site on 24 October 2025. At the time, Farmer said self-developing the scheme was "a natural evolution" for the company. Companies House records show Gamuda Land UK Limited was incorporated on 25 September 2024, and Gamuda Marshgate Lane Limited on 21 July 2025.

The site already carried planning consent. Architect Henley Halebrown reported in March 2024 that permission had been granted for a scheme that was then a joint venture between PBSA specialist Alumno and Hurlington Capital. The practice described the consented design as housing 316 students, with 35% of rooms designated affordable under the London Plan definition, external courtyards and four roof terraces.

GRAHAM's announcement and Gamuda Land's project page both give the bed count as 321. None of the primary sources explains the difference from the 316 figure reported at consent.

Gamuda Land said the site is within walking distance of UCL East and the London College of Fashion, and describes the scheme as the closest private PBSA to UCL East. Henley Halebrown put the walk to UCL's East Campus at about 10 minutes.

Gamuda Land's UK plans

With Marshgate Lane, Gamuda Land's UK PBSA portfolio totals 1,232 beds across London and Glasgow, the developer said when it bought the site. Its project page says the scheme forms part of a plan to deliver up to 3,000 student beds across key UK cities.

Gamuda Land is targeting completion of Marshgate Lane for the 2028/29 academic year.