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OUR DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE

We aim to have a development pipeline of more than 2,000 beds per annum,
creating high-quality accommodation in prime locations.

Featured Property

New Bristol property is on track for this year

Our newest Bristol property is on track to open in time for the new academic year in September.

We’re making great progress on Avon Point, our highly anticipated student accommodation development on Feeder Road. The 623-bed property will open right in the heart of one of the UK's largest regeneration projects, later this year.

Situated next to the University of Bristol’s new Temple Quarter campus, and close to Bristol Temple Meads, Avon Point will be ready for the 2025/26 academic year. It is designed to support the next generation of students with high-quality living, social, and study spaces.

The roof is on, external work is being finished and you can now see how some of the bedrooms, kitchens and communal areas will look!

With total development cost of £75million, Avon Point will feature an on-site gym, dedicated study spaces and a direct partnership with the University of Bristol – half of the rooms will be let to their students.

This development is a key part of our mission to create inspiring spaces where students can thrive.

The building’s operational energy levels have been reduced through a ‘fabric first’ approach, which prioritises building elements including walls, roofs, floors, windows, and doors, to create a high-performance, energy-efficient building.

Energy efficiency has been considered during design and build phase through to the manufacturing of materials and their transportation to the site, as well as their installation and use throughout the operational lifecycle of the building. Air source heat pumps and solar panels are also being installed.

Unite Students' Avon Point
Unite Students' Avon Point
Unite Students' Avon Point

Featured Property

Our London property reaches new heights

Work on our new 719-bed Stratford property is progressing well as it reaches new heights.

Hawthorne House, in Stratford, will be 36 storeys and is set to open for the 2026/27 academic year.

The £185 million property, which is replacing former office block Jubilee House, includes a 65,000 sq ft sixth-form academy, the London Academy of Excellence, over eight floors, which will be in place for an initial 35-year term.

Unite Students is the capital’s largest student accommodation operator and is committed to adding more beds to meet rising student demand while easing housing shortages.

Unite Students' Hawthorne House in Stratford, London
Unite Students' Hawthorne House
Our joint venture with

Newcastle University

We’re delighted to announce a joint venture agreement with Newcastle University to develop a 2,000-bed property. The long-term partnership will see us demolish the university’s existing Castle Leazes building and construct new student accommodation, for delivery in 2027 and 2028.

Joe Lister, our CEO, said: “Unite Students is uniquely positioned to help address the shortage of student homes through our long-standing and trusted university relationships, best-in-class operating platform and in-house development capability.”

Our development pipeline

  • 2025
  • 2026
  • 2027/28
  • 2028
  • 2025

    Marsh Mills, Bristol

    With total development costs of £75million, Marsh Mills will be constructed adjacent to the University of Bristol’s new Temple Quarter campus, ready for the 2025/26 academic year. Of the 614 beds, half of the rooms have been pre-let to University of Bristol students through a long-term lease agreement.

    Unite Student' Marsh Mills property in Bristol


    Burnet Point, Edinburgh 

    Our new property in Edinburgh will combine student, build-to-rent (BTR) and affordable units – making it the first of its kind for our portfolio.

    Burnet Point will also be our lowest carbon new-build to date, It will have 298 student beds, 49 private-rented and 17 affordable residential apartments, and dedicated community space. Completion expected in September 2025 for the 2025/26 academic year.

    Burnet Point in Edinburgh

  • 2026

    Hawthorne House, Stratford 

    Work is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2023 on the 36-storey, 716 bed scheme in Stratford, London.

    The development will incorporate 65,000 sq ft of academic space, which will be occupied by the London Academy of Excellence (LAE) for an initial 35-year term, through the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

    Unite Students' Hawthorne House in Stratford, London


    Freestone Island, Bristol

    Our 500 bed Freestone Island development, in Bristol’s Temple Quarter, has total development costs of £73million, and is set to open in 2026.

    We’re working in partnership with the University of Bristol through a nomination agreement on the property, which will guarantee rooms for the university’s students. The development will provide 4,500 sq ft of affordable workspace and will be BREEAM Excellent with EPC Ratings of A across the scheme.

    Unite Students' Freestone Island development in Bristol

  • 2027/28

    Castle Leazes, Newcastle

    We’re delighted to announce a joint venture agreement with Newcastle University to develop a 2,000-bed property. The long-term partnership will see us demolish the university’s existing Castle Leazes building and construct new student accommodation, for delivery in 2027 and 2028.

  • 2028

    Meridian Place, Stratford

    We’ve received planning committee approval to build a 952-bed east London property. The Stratford development, next to Meridian Steps near Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, is a 41-storey tower targeted to complete in 2028. The construction of a new entrance and exit to Stratford Underground Station is also part of the plans, providing a positive benefit to the local community by helping to alleviate passenger congestion and improve the area’s infrastructure.

    Unite Students' Meridian Square development in Stratford, London

Development Press Releases

16/05/2025
Property
Planning approval for landmark Castle Leazes redevelopment in Newcastle
Unite Students and Newcastle University have been granted planning permission for the redevelopment of the university’s Castle Leazes student accommodation.
07/05/2025
Press releases
Unite Students submits planning application to redevelop Cambridge Halls in Manchester
Unite Students, the UK's leading owner, manager and developer of student accommodation, has submitted a full planning application to Manchester City Council to redevelop Cambridge Halls on the All Saints Campus.
01/05/2025
Investor
New university partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University to develop 2,300 beds
Unite Students announces that it has entered into a joint venture ('JV') framework agreement with Manchester Metropolitan University for the development of 2,300 new student beds.
09/04/2025
Property
New PBSA Burnet Point, Edinburgh, reaches topping out milestone
A major milestone has been reached in the construction of Burnet Point, a new £59 million purpose-built student accommodation development at Abbey Lane, Edinburgh.
04/04/2025
Press releases
Unite Students begins construction of new 934-bed property in Glasgow
Unite Students, the UK’s largest provider of student accommodation, has begun the construction phase of its new £124.5 million property in Glasgow.
19/03/2025
Press releases
Unite Students completes extension and refurb of Rushford Court, Durham
Unite Students, the UK’s largest provider of student accommodation, has completed an upgrade to its property in Durham.
05/12/2024
Press releases
Unite Students buys Glasgow site to build 934-bed property
Unite Students, the UK’s largest provider of student accommodation, has purchased a Glasgow site to build a new 934-bed property.
21/11/2024
Press releases
Unite Students completes £32m refurbs for 5,200 students
Unite Students, the UK’s largest provider of student accommodation, has completed 11 refurbishment projects this year, benefitting 5,239 residents.

OUR SUPPLIERS

We work with long-standing contractor partners from the outset of each development. This ensures they are an integral part of the development team, contributing to design, risk mitigation and costing throughout the project. By taking this integrated approach, we are able to deliver accommodation schemes with market leading build costs and shorter lead-times without compromising quality.