University of Birmingham: The University of Birmingham has entered a long-term partnership with Equitix and EQUANS to deliver world-class facilities at Pritchatts Park Student Village.
The redevelopment of Pritchatts Park, which gives students quick and easy access to the heart of campus, plays an integral role in helping the University to achieve this goal. EQUANS, alongside their equity partner Equitix, are transforming Pritchatts Park into a state-of-the-art, low-carbon accommodation in collaboration with the University of Birmingham. Equitix and EQUANS have now successfully reached financial close, marking the official start of the development.
To enhance the student and staff on-campus experience, the project will see some existing accommodation refurbished and 496 new, high-quality student homes built, along with a multi-storey car park.
Pritchatts Park Residence Project is the University’s first ever low-carbon accommodation, giving students some of the best living spaces possible.
This transaction represents an opportunity for Equitix and EQUANS to expand their student accommodation portfolio with the highly ranked Russell Group University alongside highly experienced development partners.
Simon Bray, Director of Campus Services at the University of Birmingham, said: “Outstanding global education is at the core of our mission; the University is passionate about investing in high-quality, affordable accommodation for our students to enhance their on-campus experience while they study with us. We look forward to working with Equitix and EQUANS.”
Hugh Crossley, Chief Executive for Equitix, said: “We are delighted to work with University of Birmingham and be part of their continued growth and success and are pleased to extend our strong track record in developing and operating outstanding accommodation that exceeds residents’ expectations.”
Jake Fellows, Regional Operations Director at EQUANS, said: “EQUANS has a multifaceted offer which spans construction, regeneration, energy and zero carbon technologies; so, we are perfectly placed to bring the University of Birmingham’s vision for a low-carbon, high quality student campus to life.
“We are delighted to have reached financial close on this hugely significant project as the year draws to a close. Every partner involved in this deal is passionate about its success and our respective equity stakes in the scheme, speak to this.”
Equitix and EQUANS will build the accommodation, to be delivered by September 2024. The project, which has had extensive design input from student representatives, will also see improvements to students’ social spaces and increase the number of rooms available for those with accessibility requirements. Pritchatts House and the new build townhouses have been designed to support an energy efficient construction and operation criteria, aligning with Equitix’s, EQUANS’s and University of Birmingham’s long term sustainable investment strategy.