CRM Students acquired by Corestate
UK student accommodation management company CRM Students has been acquired by European micro-living giant Corestate Capital Holding …
High-rise student flats and shops to be built opposite Swansea rail station
The uninspiring view from Swansea rail station is to be transformed by a new student and commercial development opposite.
It will cater for 780 students in a 17-storey tower and adjoining block, and is expected to be open for the start of the 2021 academic year …
KKR and Round Hill Capital Joint Venture Acquires Four Student Housing Developments in the UK
KKR, a leading global investment firm, and Round Hill Capital (“Round Hill”), a leading real estate investment, development and asset management firm, announce that their joint venture (the “JV”) is forward funding the development of four purpose-built student accommodation (“PBSA”) schemes across the UK. As part of the transaction, the JV has also exchanged an option agreement to forward-fund a 348 bed PBSA scheme in Bristol conditional on full planning consent.
The four PBSA development schemes are being acquired from and built by Watkin Jones plc (AIM: WJG) and will provide much-needed accommodation for students by delivering a combined total of 1,815 beds.
This is KKR and Round Hill’s first student housing transaction through their joint venture in the UK. This follows the JV’s acquisition in July 2018 of a significant housing development in Utrecht comprising 577 student beds and 173 residential apartments and in September 2018 of a 698 bed PBSA development site in Groningen, both in the Netherlands. KKR and Round Hill continue to look to make further investments in student accommodation through multiple strategies including acquiring existing assets, developing new PBSA, forward-funding and repositioning assets across select university towns and cities in the UK, Spain, Netherlands, and wider Europe …
JLL – Evaluating Build To Rent Performance
It has been a long journey, but Build to Rent (BTR) has finally arrived in the UK. For years we have been anticipating the emergence of an institutionally-backed, purpose built and managed private rental sector. Now, with 125,000 units either completed, under construction or with planning, there is a clear pathway towards critical mass in the nascent sector …
London is top city to study, according to global university rankings
The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings revealed that four universities in London are listed in the top 40 – more than any other city in the world.
The UK capital also has five in the top 200, cementing London’s reputation as one of the best cities in the world for higher education.
The five London universities in the top 200 are:
• Imperial College London (9)
• University College London (14)
• London School of Economics and Political Science (26)
• King’s College London (38)
• Queen Mary University of London (130)
…
The new style of renting: bring the cat, dog and the kids too
In the heart of London’s Shoreditch, eight new industrial-chic apartments are ready to be rented. With bold modern art, floor-to-ceiling black steel-framed windows and metal balconies, a three-bedroom pad will cost a cool £4,800 per month, marketed by Knight Frank.
An import from the United States, these kinds of developments, which are purpose-built for renters, have professional landlords and are backed by institutional investors such as pension funds. They started appearing in around 2012 in central London and Manchester …
OPIC and Acorn Holding Limited Sign $50M Financing Agreement for Student Housing
The Overseas Private Investment Company (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s development finance institution, and Acorn Holdings Limited (Acorn) today signed a $50 million agreement unveiling a $50 million financing arrangement supporting the construction of student housing in Kenya. OPIC was represented by Small Medium Enterprise Finance Managing Director Debra L. Erb while Acorn was represented by the Chief Executive Officer Edward M. Kirathe. The ceremony was witnessed by the Principal Secretary State Department of Trade of the Government of Kenya Dr. Chris Kiptoo, CBS and U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Robert F. Godec.
Student housing in Nairobi is severely limited, unsafe, and often lacking basic amenities. This project will help bridge the gap by constructing 5,000 units of housing for both public and private universities in the city.
“By addressing one of the country’s most pressing development needs, these projects will be hugely impactful,” said OPIC President and Chief Executive Officer Ray W. Washburne. “OPIC is proud of its work in Kenya and this investment highlights its continued commitment to supporting the private sector and advancing development in the country.” …
Sober students look for alcohol-free halls at university
For many students, drinking and parties are a big part of the freshers’ experience. But with more than one in five students saying they are teetotal, the demand for alcohol-free accommodation is on the rise …
Are micro-units the future of city living?
With cities now home to over half of the world’s population, space is sparse, costs are high, and finding a suitable place to live has become a real challenge.
One solution, in short, is to go small. Micro apartments have cropped up in dense cities across the globe, from New York to Beirut. The average unit is between 300-400 square feet, or around the size of an average one-car garage. While it might sound cramped, they have been praised as one way to stem a mounting housing crisis …
Rapid rise wins top university accolade for Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen has been named Scottish University of the Year after climbing the rankings for the third year in succession.
It was awarded the honour in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019, in which the University of St Andrews was third, behind Oxford and Cambridge.
Aberdeen went up 14 places in this year’s league table, from 40th to 26th …