Round Hill Capital completes 488-home Manchester BTR tower to meet the city’s accelerating rental demand

Fairfax brings sustainable Build to Rent living to Piccadilly East, complete with 29th-floor sky lounge, extensive gym and wellness facilities, co-working spaces and private dining rooms-

2 March 2026 - Round Hill Capital, a leading global specialist real estate investor, developer and manager, today announces the practical completion of Fairfax, a 488-home Build to Rent development in central Manchester. To deliver Fairfax, Round Hill Capital partnered with Olympian Homes, a specialist developer of large-scale Build to Rent and student accommodation, and RG Group as the main contractor.

Fairfax brings one and two-bedroom apartments and includes 16,000 sq ft of amenity space, offering a state-of-the-art gym with a multi-purpose room for gym classes, a large 865 sq ft private dining room, a roof terrace and sky lounge on the 29th floor, a bar lounge and a dog parlour. The building is equipped with a 24-hour concierge, a co-working space featuring six meeting rooms, a podcast recording room and phone booths for focused work. The building is fitted with Utopi smart meters which allows residents to track their utility spend and air quality, encouraging more efficient energy use and sustainable living.

Located next to Piccadilly Station, the city’s main train station, Fairfax is at the heart of Piccadilly East, one of Manchester’s most exciting and fast-growing neighbourhoods, featuring food halls like Freight Island, riverside walks, open green spaces, galleries and studios, live music and independent fashion.

Greater Manchester is one of the UK’s fastest growing areas, with productivity growth outpacing national average and attracting more foreign direct investment than any region outside of the capital. Central Manchester’s population is expected to grow from c. 100,000 to c. 250,000 by 2035, while supply of new homes continues to be constrained with fewer developments coming forward due to viability, planning and regulatory delays.

Tom France, Managing Director and Head of Development at Round Hill Capital, commented: “When we partnered with Olympian Homes in 2022 to acquire the site, we were investing into Manchester's strong demographic and economic fundamentals. That conviction is paying off today, with the city outpacing UK growth and experiencing exceptionally strong rental demand. Manchester's rental sector is undersupplied, particularly for professionally managed, amenity-rich developments like Fairfax. We spent a long time researching different specifications, technology and design to get the type of product right for today's renters and to provide what the customer wants: sustainable, well-connected and well designed with a core focus on how people actually live and work."

James Lindridge, COO and Development Director at Olympian Homes, commented: "After obtaining Planning Consent in 2020, we are thrilled to have reached this milestone collaborating with Round Hill Capital, RG Group and Manchester City Council. Fairfax delivers a mix of high-quality apartments, alongside resident amenities designed to support modern urban living. Located within one of Manchester’s best-connected neighbourhoods, the building is designed with long-term occupation in mind, prioritising durability, energy efficiency and resident experience, reflecting our commitment to sustainable placemaking and operational excellence.