Greystar is launching a major student accommodation project in Bologna with 400 beds
The American group aims to develop 2,500 beds in Italia by 2027, starting in Bologna and targeting Milan, Rome, Florence and Turin …
News Articles
The Social Hub submits plans for £200m Edinburgh hotel and student accommodation scheme
The Social Hub has submitted plans to reimagine a long‑derelict site in Edinburgh as a £200m hospitality-led scheme.
The company has submitted proposals for the transformation of the former Fountain Brewery site in Fountainbridge, which has stood vacant for around 20 years.
The proposals centre include a 580-bed facility providing student, hotel and extended-stay accommodation, with a fixed co-working area for up to 300 people and flexible space for thousands more. The scheme will also feature a restaurant, café, rooftop bar, clubhouse, theatre and a gym …
Unite sells King’s Place development site for £60m
Student accommodation provider Unite Group has sold its 444-bed King’s Place development site to an affiliate of Far East Orchard for £60m.
Unite said on Wednesday that the disposal was part of its strategy to realise value from development land and other non-student assets. The sale was priced at a 3% discount to its June 2026 book value and was expected to complete in mid-October. It was already incorporated into the group’s adjusted earnings guidance of 41.5p to 43p for FY26, which remains unchanged.
The FTSE 250-listed firm has now agreed or completed disposals totalling £200m in 2026 at a weighted average NOI yield of 3%, including a number of non-income producing sites …
The Dot Group names former Cisco, Hines Executive as Yugo’s European CEO
The Dot Group, the global leader in student living, has strengthened its senior leadership team with the appointment of Ronen Journo as the European CEO of its global student living brand and operator, Yugo. The appointment will build further momentum across Yugo’s European and UK business at a point of sustained expansion, following recent additions to its branded portfolio in France, Poland and Italy.
Bringing more than 30 years’ international operational and real estate leadership experience with Hines, WeWork and Cisco, Ronen will develop and execute the firm’s European and UK strategy, driving community performance, operational excellence and growth through new client partnerships. He will translate Yugo’s global priorities into locally relevant strategies, deepening relationships with universities, clients (asset owners) and global investment partners …
MCR Property Group expands Sheffield student portfolio with 1,163-bed acquisition
MCR Property Group has strengthened its presence in Sheffield’s student accommodation market with the acquisition of a 1,163-bed portfolio from Unite.
The deal adds three purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) schemes – Archways, Leadmill Point and Westhill Hall – to MCR’s Flow Student platform, taking its total portfolio in the city to almost 2,000 beds across six locations.
The latest acquisition cements MCR’s position as one of Sheffield’s largest private PBSA operators and forms part of the group’s wider expansion strategy, with Flow Student expected to reach 10,000 beds nationwide this year …
Far East Orchard subsidiary in early talks for private fund to acquire London site, develop PBSA
An investment holding subsidiary of Far East Orchard (FEOR) is entering talks to acquire a site in London to develop purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) under its private student accommodation development fund.
According to a July 13 bourse filing, Far East Orchard Investment Holdings has entered into a non-binding heads of terms (HOT) with LDC (Portfolio) Limited for the proposed acquisition of a site at the junction of Borough High Street and Harper Road in London …
GSA Launches Investor Solutions Division; Paddy Allen named as Global Head
Global Student Accommodation (“GSA”), the global leader and specialist in student housing, announces the establishment of its Investor Solutions division, a dedicated capital raising team that formalises the organisation’s approach across global markets.
Paddy Allen joins the GSA Executive Leadership Team as Global Head of Investor Solutions. He will be responsible for all new capital-raising initiatives, from building global long-term client relationships through to new product formation, overseeing strategic development and client servicing across GSA’s investment vehicles globally …
Major Canadian pension fund halves stake in student accommodation group Unite
One of the world’s top-performing public pension funds has cut its holding in South West-based student accommodation group Unite. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board subsidiary CPPIB Holdco reduced its stake from over 14% to just over 7% in Bristol-headquartered Unite. The move automatically triggered the end of CPPIB’s right to a nominated representative on Unite’s board and, as a result, its nominated director Thomas Jackson has now left. Toronto-based CPPIB’s relationship with Unite …
Cain enters London PBSA market with Boord Street development
Global real estate investment manager Cain has launched a dedicated London purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) strategy targeting the delivery of 2,000 beds across the capital, marking the latest expansion of its growing pan-European living platform.
The strategy’s first investment is a fully consented 353-bed development on the Greenwich Peninsula, comprising an 18-storey tower to be delivered in partnership with RG Real Estate (RGRE).
Scheduled for completion ahead of the 2029/2030 academic year, the scheme will be highly amenitised and target leading BREEAM and building performance certifications …
Quadreal appoints Collegiate to manage UK PBSA portfolio
QuadReal Property Group (QuadReal) has appointed Collegiate UK to manage its UK purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) portfolio.
Quadreal acquired the portfolio, which comprises eight assets and 3,460 beds across key UK university cities, from Apollo Real Estate last year.
OPRE Solutions, which advised QuadReal on the deal, ran the tender on the company’s behalf to ensure operational efficiency and consistency across the assets in Wembley, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Norwich, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Glasgow and Birmingham …