UK's Places for People wins management contract for 3,300 student apartments in Manchester

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The University of Manchester's new Owens Park campus project in Fallowfield, with a total investment of £530 million, has confirmed PfP Students to handle post-completion maintenance and management. On-site student support and property maintenance for the 3,300 student apartments on campus will be undertaken by Places for People, with the project delivered jointly by Equitix, Graham, and funder Rothesay.

The project is planned as five "neighborhoods," featuring dedicated wellness facilities, bookable social and study spaces, music practice rooms, and landscaped courtyards among its communal areas. The project has secured planning permission and Gateway 2 approval, with the first 1,000 rooms scheduled to open in 2028, followed by subsequent phases in 2029 and 2030.

PfP already manages student accommodation projects across multiple UK locations, including Cambridge, Glasgow, and Sheffield. Owens Park will become its first managed asset in Manchester.

Eamonn Tierney, Managing Director of PfP Students, said the project is a significant one for PfP Students, helping to shape the living experience of thousands of University of Manchester students. He stated that the Fallowfield campus will set a new standard for student accommodation, combining sustainability credentials with spaces designed around wellbeing, community, and the needs of modern students, and expressed eagerness to work closely with the University of Manchester and partners to ensure the new residences deliver a high-quality student experience from the moment the first students move in.

The project's architectural scheme has been designed by Sheppard Robson, with planning consultancy provided by Deloitte. Other advisory firms include Kennedy Redford, Thompson Environmental Consultants, RPS, Landscape Projects, OFR, Envision, Buro Happold, Mosart, Cundall, and Steven Lavrant Heritage Architecture.

The public can view the project application via the Manchester City Council planning portal, under reference number 142387/MO/2025.