Belfast City Council in Northern Ireland has launched a significant £630m ($797.37m) regeneration project, selecting GRAHAM as its partner to revitalise the city's centre, fostering city living and housing regeneration.

The initial phase will utilise strategic council-owned sites in the city centre, valued at £280m, to create mixed-tenure homes that cater to the demand for urban living.

This partnership with GRAHAM is set to propel the development of residential-led, mixed-use, and sustainable projects across various locations in the region.

The approach emerged from a period of active engagement with the private sector and investment market, culminating in a public procurement process.

By appointing GRAHAM, Belfast City Council is poised to advance large-scale development projects that align with the city's growth objectives.

This announcement is part of a broader strategy by the council to enhance city living and follows the July 2024 selection of Viridis, a consortium incorporating GRAHAM, as the preferred bidder for the University of Manchester's Fallowfield Campus redevelopment in England.

That project, which was awarded after a competitive tender process, is expected to provide up to 5,400 student beds to satisfy the increasing need for high-quality campus accommodation.

In a related development, GRAHAM began construction on Belfast’s first Passivhaus-certified student accommodation on Dublin Road in September 2024, commissioned by Queen’s University Belfast.

Belfast City Council Strategic Policy and Resources Committee chair and councillor Ryan Murphy said: “Belfast has seen significant regeneration in recent years and there is high demand to live, work, socialise, study, and invest here.

"In response to a clear imperative to accelerate city centre living, and to address sustained housing stress across the city, the council has brought forward this game-changing opportunity to deliver transformative change in our city centre and beyond.”