UK & Ireland

Unite Group completed the acquisition of Empiric Student Property on 28 January, adding the Hello Student brand and all Empiric assets to its portfolio.

Bowmer + Kirkland has been appointed main contractor for the £274 million Castle Leazes student accommodation redevelopment in Newcastle, replacing a 1,250-bed 1960s complex with 2,009 modern, sustainable rooms for Unite Students and Newcastle University.

The University of Kent has cancelled its £51 million plan to build a 1,000-bed student accommodation block and sports centre on its Canterbury campus, citing changing student needs, affordability concerns, and rising construction costs since planning permission was granted in 2023.

The new six-storey student accommodation will provide a total of 172 bedrooms comprising of 155 bed spaces shared across 22 cluster flats with each flat containing shared kitchen and lounge facilities.

Newham Council has approved RAD CHP Ltd’s proposal to develop 628 student bed spaces at Royal Albert Way, including ancillary facilities and Class E floorspace at ground level, enhancing the site’s mixed-use capacity.

The facility was agreed for an experienced property investor and developer operating in the student accommodation sector. The borrower had acquired a former office building in Aberdeen city centre and secured planning consent to convert the property into 52 self-contained student studios.

On the surface, 2025 was a record-breaking year for the UK Higher Education sector. Home Office data for the full calendar year shows that...

Paragon Bank provided a loan to refinance and support the ongoing development of Peppermill Court, a £34.7m PBSA project in York led by HACS Construction, with completion expected in summer 2024.

Gamuda Land UK’s current gross development value (GDV) stands at approximately £1.5 billion, with around 70% allocated to office developments and student accommodation representing roughly £300 million across three sites, reflecting a strategic focus on assets with strong supply-demand fundamentals amid evolving UK real estate conditions.

Coventry City Council has approved a change of use for Waters Court in Salt Lane from exclusively student accommodation to a flexible model including serviced apartments, aiming to address high vacancy rates amid declining student demand.