Category: Development Activity

Proprium Capital Partners has announced that its Southern European PBSA platform with Collegiate AC Europe Ltd (Collegiate) is investing $100m of equity to acquire and develop two PBSA schemes in Italy, in the cities of Milan and Padua.

These two high-quality PBSA schemes are exceptionally well-located, with excellent public transport connectivity. They are both close to key universities in each city – Bicocca University in Milan and the University of Padua in Padua.

The two schemes will provide over 1,600 student accommodation beds, as well as providing its residents with state-of-the-art facilities. These include a gym, spa, outdoor sports facilities, cinema, private dining rooms, group study spaces, and vibrant indoor and outdoor living areas. There is also 24-hour security, high speed Wi-Fi, bike storage, and year-round events programmes …

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Invesco Real Estate, the $90bn global real estate investment business of Invesco Ltd, is to develop a 261 bed purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) asset in Manchester with student accommodation developer, Alumno. Invesco Real Estate was advised on this transaction by Lewis & Partners.

Set to complete in Q3 2026, the development site has been acquired on behalf of Invesco Real Estate Europe Fund III – SCSp (Europe III), the third European value-add strategy in succession for the firm.

“Market repricing and the temporary retreat of core capital have combined to open up a number of attractive opportunities around Europe in sectors with positive tailwinds such as PBSA. We expect Europe III to be active in this sector as well as others where the risk/return balance has moved in favour of value-add investors who are prepared to move with speed and conviction.”

Kevin Grundy, Managing Director – Fund Management, Europe, Invesco Real Estate …

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An Bord Pleanála has granted planning for a major student accommodation scheme on the Naas Road, Dublin 12, which will bring much-needed student housing to the city.

Designed HKR Architects for Hollybrook Homes, the Gowan House development will provide 899 purpose-built student rooms (including 44 accessible units and 24 studios) across buildings varying in height from thirteen to ten storeys. The masterplan includes shared community and cultural space, retail space and an attractive public realm on the River Camac.

An Bord Pleanála overturned a previous refusal by Dublin City Council at Gowan House because student residential was not an appropriate use on the site and the mass of the proposal was inappropriately large …

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Plans have been approved for a 454-bedroom Bristol PBSA development. It is just 300 metres from the University of Bristol’s £500M Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus. The new Bristol PBSA scheme will help to alleviate the lack of appropriate student accommodation in the South West city.

Avon Capital Estates secures planning permission to redevelop its industrial site on the banks of the River Avon. The adjoining cycleway leads directly into the heart of the new campus and immediately next to the key footbridge connecting to Legal & General’s £350m Temple Island redevelopment.

The developer is already in negotiations with main contractors, anticipating occupation in 2027 …

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Proposals for almost 1,000 student rooms across two sites in Nottingham were given the go-ahead by Nottingham City Council’s planning committee on Wednesday afternoon (July 19).

Plans to build a major student accommodation scheme on the site of the former Sentinel building in the Southside regeneration area of Nottingham were voted through by councillors.

The scheme, by developer Jensco, includes 356 bedrooms made up of 222 cluster rooms, 112 studios and 22 studio suites, has been designed by CPMG and will reach 17 storeys at its tallest point …

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UPP has been selected as the Preferred Bidder to develop, in partnership with Durham University, a detailed scheme proposition for the refurbishment of the College of St Hild and St Bede and the development of new college accommodation at the Leazes Road site.

One of the key drivers for this project for both Durham University and Durham City is to increase the proportion of students living in high quality university owned accommodation.

The site benefits from a south-facing aspect fronting on to the River Wear. It is also a short walk from the city centre and nearby Gilesgate area. The project is set to deliver 1,000 student beds.

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The L-shaped Broadway Two building at the top of Renfield Street will join the recently completed office block and hotel in phase one. The vacant site was previously home to studios for STV.

The development is being led by ES Renfield Ltd, part of McAleer & Rushe Property, and designed by Cooper Cromar …

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Queen’s University secures planning permission from Belfast City Council planning committee to build Belfast’s first certified Passivhaus PBSA scheme, which is also the largest certified Passivhaus project on the island of Ireland.

Passivhaus certification is a globally recognised standard whereby very little energy is used for heating and cooling, making the building ultra-low emission.

The new PBSA development will deliver 459 student units, adding to Queen’s 3,500 beds across the city that it currently owns and manages …

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One of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers Barings has announced that it has acquired a plot of land for the development of its first purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme in Italy.

Completing on a brownfield site in Rome, on behalf of its second European real estate value-add fund (BREEVA II), the disused site in the east of the city centre has planning permission for the development of a new PBSA scheme of c. 8,000 sqm, comprising 270 studio rooms and amenities including tennis and padel courts.

The scheme at Via Umberto Partini is well connected to Rome’s public transport system, with easy access to several bus and tram lines (lines 545, 163 and 409), with La Sapienza University – continental Europe’s largest institution with 110,000 students – just 15 minutes away by bus. It is also within walking distance from Tiburtina, the high-speed railway station and the second largest train station in Rome …

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One of the UK’s largest privately owned investment groups – Topland – has gained planning consent for a new landmark purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development in Cardiff city centre.

Based on Greyfriars Road, the approved plans will deliver 585 student beds in a mix of studio, en-suite clusters and one bed apartments in a 28-storey tower. The development will replace a vacant 1960s office building that formerly housed Tiger Tiger nightclub.

Designed by architects Rio and Westworks, the scheme will have far reaching views over the city centre and Cardiff Castle. It will provide amenity space, a roof garden, and commercial space at ground floor alongside the student apartments …

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