GRAHAM tops out £38m PBSA scheme in Glasgow

St Vincent Studios is being delivered by GRAHAM, on behalf of Artisan Real Estate and Housing Growth Partnership, and is set to complete in summer 2026 ahead of the new academic year.

Designed to meet the needs of Glasgow’s growing student population, the scheme – developed in partnership with Homes for Students, the UK’s largest third-party student management company – will provide premium living spaces alongside a range of facilities, including study areas, a gym, a cinema room, roof terraces, a reception, and secure cycle storage for 160 bikes.

Artisan Real Estate, Housing Growth Partnership and Homes for Students were joined by Turner & Townsend and Hawkins\Brown, representing the client’s design team, at the official topping-out ceremony yesterday, where attendees signed a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion.

St Vincent Studios is transforming the site, formerly occupied by a 1970s office building which has been vacant since 2019.

Once complete, the new development will place students within walking distance of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow Caledonian University and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

William Ross, contracts director at GRAHAM Building, said: “Reaching the topping out stage at St Vincent Studios is a significant moment in delivering this landmark scheme.

“Working with Artisan Real Estate and Housing Growth Partnership, we are proud to be transforming a long-vacant site into modern accommodation that will support both Glasgow’s students and the wider regeneration of the city centre.”

Artisan’s development director for Scotland, David Westwater, added: “The site is in a superb city centre location and meets the urgent need for high-quality student accommodation in the city - especially for individual studio apartments.

“The completed development will provide self-contained studio apartments together with a range of additional facilities and amenities over 16 floors, and the more longer-term student market we are targeting will bring energy and investment to the city centre.

“St Vincent Studios is a well-designed development which replaces an existing office block which had remained vacant for more than five years.”

Colin Bennett, investment director at Housing Growth Partnership, said: “This is our second joint venture with Artisan Real Estate and underlines our confidence in the PBSA sector at a time when economic and planning constraints are impacting new developments coming forward.

“We are excited to be working with GRAHAM, and the topping out is a key milestone in delivering this  PBSA development on St Vincent Street which will provide first class accommodation and amenity spaces for students.”

Martin Corbett, chief executive officer of Homes for Students, added: “We are proud to be working closely with Artisan Real Estate to ensure this will be a best-in-class, purpose-built scheme.

“We will be creating high quality accommodation and amenities for students to enjoy, providing an exceptional user experience using the skills of our property team to foster and support student wellbeing whilst closely integrating with the local community.”