Unite sees increase in student demand

The Unite Group, the UK’s largest student housing provider, hiked its total dividend for the year as it reported an increase in demand for student accommodation in its latest annual results.

The group, which currently manages six student properties with 3,142 beds in Leeds, including Sky Plaza, and eight properties with 3,731 beds in Sheffield, said that room reservations for 2013/14 were at 62 per cent as of March 5 this year, up from 59 per cent in 2012.

It also said that student numbers for the 2013/14 academic year were likely to increase by 25,000 to 30,000 after “positive Government policy announcements” and 3.5 per cent year-on-year growth in applications for university via Ucas …

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