Northern Ireland-headquartered construction group Graham has won a £70 million (€81.8 million) contract to redesign and develop a building in Nottingham for student accommodation.
Graham, which employs over 2,300 people, is involved in more than 100 projects across the UK and Ireland and has 23 regional offices including its headquarters in Hillsborough and two offices in Belfast.
The contract, which was awarded by property developer Bricks Group, relates to the Bendigo Building project, which will house purpose-built student accommodation and two ground-floor commercial units.
Originally built in the late 1960s, the building served as a Royal Mail Sorting office. After nearly two decades of vacancy, the redevelopment will offer connectivity to Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham train station and high street — all less than half a mile away.
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The 661-bed development will consist of studios and four, five and six en-suite bedroom apartments. It will also offer amenities such as a games lounge, a gym with personal trainers, a landscaped garden with outdoor seating areas, car parking, and cycle storage.
Ronan Hughes, regional director at Graham, said: “We are delighted to be continuing our relationship with Bricks Group to deliver this development that represents a significant investment in student accommodation. We have similar experience in delivering major projects in the city and look forward to transforming an unused space into a thriving new community for Nottingham’s student population.”
Bricks chief executive Pete Prickett added: “It’s great to be introducing true student to guests in Nottingham. We are really excited to extend our strong relationship with Graham after our first successful project together in Salford.”
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The latest accounts for Graham, which cover the 12 months ended March 31, 2023, show its revenue increased by 15 per cent to £1.1 billion, up from £948.3 million the year before. However, profit before tax fell from £19 million to £15.1 million.
The group’s directors said it was in a good position with strong levels of secured work. Cash at bank and in hand has increased to £177.1 million from £127.1 million over the year.
The building in Nottingham is the third major infrastructure contract secured by Graham in recent months. It was appointed in November to carry out the major transformation of one of East Riding of Yorkshire’s most congested road junctions.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council has announced work on its £86.9 million A164 and Jock’s Lodge Improvement Scheme is set to begin in the spring. When complete, in late 2026, traffic travelling on one of the area’s busiest routes will be freed up.
Separately, the group was appointed by the City of Lincoln Council in October to design and deliver crucial elements of the Western Growth Corridor development.
The work elements include the design and construction of a new vehicular, cycle, and pedestrian bridge over the railway and a pedestrian bridge to enhance safety and connectivity between the site and the existing communities.
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