Northern Ireland construction firm GRAHAM has formally handed back the Northland Building at North West Regional College (NWRC) in Londonderry as reposted by Belfast News Letter, concluding a rare 27-year Private Finance Initiative (PFI) partnership.

The Northland Building was originally delivered through a strategic partnership involving GRAHAM, Northwin Limited, and NWRC, designed to provide a modern, future-ready educational environment. Over nearly three decades, the facility has remained a high-performing asset, continuously upgraded to meet evolving teaching, learning, and technological needs.

Significant developments include the award-winning Foodovation Centre, supporting over 140 regional food businesses in research, development, and commercialisation over six years, alongside expanded digital learning and business support infrastructure. The Business Support Centre and specialist facilities in health, IT, media, and hospitality training now form the heart of the building’s contribution to workforce development and industry engagement.

Andrew Bill, CEO of GRAHAM, commented: “The Northland Building stands as a powerful example of what can be achieved when vision, collaboration and long-term commitment come together. From its inception through ownership transitions, daily operations, continuous enhancement and lifecycle care, this project has been defined by extraordinary teamwork and shared purpose.”

Leo Murphy, NWRC principal and chief executive, added: “Our purpose at North West Regional College is to ‘make lives better’ creating a great place for staff and students to work and learn. We are delighted with the partnership provided by GRAHAM which has allowed us to strengthen and develop our portfolio of learning.”

Alison McDonnell, director of Northwin Limited (BBGI), described the handback as a “textbook example of how a PFI should work in practice,” noting that the milestone leaves behind a well-maintained asset and a legacy of long-term partnership.

Discover the full story and detailed facility overview on the original report.