UK based student accommodation provider Unite Students has received planning approval for two developments in London and Bristol.
The London project, situated in Stratford, will feature a 41-storey tower with 952 beds, while the Bristol project, located in the Temple Quarter regeneration area, will offer 500 beds.
The Stratford development, adjacent to Meridian Steps and near the Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, is expected to be completed by 2028.
This project has been approved with conditions and is yet to receive full planning permission, which is expected later this year.
It will provide student accommodation alongside 1,151m² of commercial space, including workspace and retail areas.
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A portion of this space has been allocated to You Press, a social enterprise that supports young people and under-represented communities.
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By GlobalDataThe project will offer 333 beds at affordable rents, with 30 self-contained studio flats and the remainder as shared flats. One in ten bedrooms will be wheelchair accessible.
University College London (UCL) has supported the Stratford project’s planning application.
Meanwhile, Unite Students is finalising a long-term agreement with UCL for its students to occupy the majority of the beds, complementing the recently completed UCL East campus.
The development aims for an embodied carbon figure of 730kg CO₂e/m² by practical completion, aligning with the group’s 2030 net zero development targets.
Additionally, the development plans include constructing a new entrance and exit for the Stratford Underground Station.
This is aimed at reducing passenger congestion and enhancing local infrastructure.
The Freestone Island development in Bristol features a total development cost of £73m ($92.68m).
With full planning approval already secured, the development is expected to open in 2026.
Temple Quarter is said to be one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects.
Unite Students is collaborating with the University of Bristol through a nomination agreement, ensuring that rooms will be reserved for the university’s students.
This partnership is anticipated to help the university provide high-quality accommodation to support its expansion in the Temple Quarter.
The Freestone Island development will be situated near the 600-bed Marsh Mills site on Feeder Road.
It will also be near the University of Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, which will accommodate up to 4,600 students upon completion.
The new development will also offer 4,500ft² of affordable workspace, and aim for BREEAM Excellent certification and EPC Ratings of A.
In March 2024, Unite Students revealed its plans to build Burnet Point, a mixed-use property in Edinburgh, Scotland.
