Can pension cash solve social housing’s funding crisis?
Derwent Living is working with pension investor Aviva to find new ways of funding the sector, says its chief executive …
St Clement’s car park flats rejection ‘a small victory’ – Oxford
A controversial plan for student flats on an East Oxford car park was last night kicked out by the city council.
The authority’s west area planning committee rejected the proposal – that would have netted the council £5m – by five votes to four.
Residents and traders, who have fought a year-long battle to halt the development, said they were “delighted” with the result …
F&C Commercial Property Trust delves into student lodgings
The F&C Commercial Property Trust has delved into the student accommodation market, with an investment in a Winchester University development.
The investment trust will fund the block, which will comprise of 499 bedrooms and let to the university for a term of 25 years.
The university’s lease will be subject to fixed annual RPI increases with a collar of 1% and cap of 3.5% …
Savills sells prime Edinburgh student accommodation investment
Savills Student Investment team has negotiated the sale of a 148 bed purpose built student accommodation unit, currently leased to Edinburgh University, for £8.4million on behalf of local investor Peaston & Co …
Developer completes £8m Liverpool student accommodation scheme
Developer Parkmoor Group has completed work on an £8m student accommodation development in Liverpool city centre.
Parkmoor started work on the scheme – Windsor Court – last year, after winning backing from the Liverpool office of Lloyds TSB.
Managing director Rob Cooper told LDP Business that the quality of the London Road development meant there was “nothing else to match it in Liverpool” …
Almost 3,000 locals oppose Chester student village plan
Chester MP Stephen Mosley received a 2,600-name petition from residents opposed to a student village on green belt land between Blacon and Mollington.
Opponents fear Bell Development’s plan to accommodate 2,500 students would see Mollington, Blacon and Saughall joined together by destroying this green barrier.
Petition organiser Yvonne Jones, from Browning Close, Blacon, said: “The team has collected almost 3,000 signatures in a few short weeks. This is a clear message that this development is an unwanted and unnecessary infringement on Chester’s green belt.” …
Decision looms on car park flats plan – Oxford
Plans for a student development on part of an East Oxford car park will be decided tomorrow night.
The proposal for 140 student flats on St Clement’s car park has sparked strong opposition from neighbours and businesses.
The development, of three accommodation blocks, would be on Oxford City Council land, and the authority stands to net £5m if it goes ahead …
Green Student Accommodation in Bradford
The University of Bradford has created a unique student village which is now ready for its first residents – The Green.
The Green has achieved the highest ever BREEAM rating for any building, at 95.05% – the highest accredited award for sustainable building development and operation.
The development has beaten more than 1 million buildings assessed through this leading environmental standard since it was launched in 1990 …
Putting the ‘social’ back into social housing
Social housing is one of the largest single capital investments by the state in our poorest communities. Some £37bn has been invested by government into affordable housing over the last 35 years. But it is doubtful that the social return on this investment amounts even a tenth of that figure. By any measure, the potential of social housing in rebuilding civil society has been gravely underutilised. It is time to recognise that social housing providers are uniquely placed to deliver a far broader range of public goods and community benefits – and that their tenants desperately need them to adhere to this higher and better standard
Imperial sells student housing to LGP in £116m sale and leaseback – London
Legal and General Property (LGP) has acquired a major student accommodation development from Imperial College London, in a £116 million sale-and-leaseback deal.
The deal, described as “an industry first” by LGP, will see the property firm acquire and then let Griffon Studios in Battersea back to Imperial on a 45-year inflation-linked lease, after which the ownership will revert to the university.
Griffon Studios, a joint venture between Imperial and student accommodation specialist Berkeley First, is designed to showcase Imperial’s ‘Gradpad’ brand, which delivers residences specifically for the postgraduate market …