Amber Beat: Global Student Accommodation Market News - January 2025, Week 04

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Missed keeping track of all the latest happenings in the student accommodation market?

Amber Beat is a weekly snapshot of the key developments in top student accommodation markets.  This newsletter provides you with all the information you need to know, from new upcoming projects to current trends, news affecting students to government policies, we’ve got you covered!

Amber Beat | News from January 17-23, 2025

United Kingdom

• UK Living Sector to attract £45 billion investment by 2029, PBSA market valued at £89 billion as per Knight Frank report (Source)
• Liverpool's PBSA market faces housing shortage amidst strong demand and rising student numbers says City Residential Report (Source)
• Greystar acquires two PBSA assets in Cardiff and Exeter, adding 400 beds to its UK portfolio of 35,000+ beds (Source)
• Tide Construction's Southall PBSA Scheme approved in West London, set to deliver 424 beds in a 23-storey development by 2026 (Source)
• Nido Living launches The Fabric Works PBSA in Leeds, offering 402 premium rooms with top-tier amenities (Source)
• MDPL Group and CityInc secure planning for 332-bed, 17-storey PBSA in Woolwich, London, with completion expected in 2027 (Source)
• Maslow Capital and QIP secure £10.5M for a 65-unit PBSA project in Edinburgh amid growing demand, with only 31% of Edinburgh students accessing PBSA (Source)
• The Fourth Yard London PBSA Site for sale featuring 144-bed development with 78% studios and 22% well-proportioned clusters (Source)

United States of America

• US implements H-1B Modernization Rule to expand flexibility for employers, benefit 85,000 annual applicants and ease transition for international graduates (Source)
• Melbourne City Council approves 555-bed Florida tech student housing development on South Babcock Street (Source)
• Seven Hills Realty Trust secures $31.2 million bridge loan for acquisition of 696-bed student housing near Texas State University (Source)
• Villanova University acquires Cabrini Campus for $11.5 million, plans $75 million renovation to house 900 students by fall 2026 (Source)

Australia

• Australian universities face financial strain with tighter student visa rules as they adapt to reduced Asian enrolment inflows (Source)
• Scape transforms its PBSA fund into a $3.8 billion open-ended core fund, managing 16,000 beds across 33 assets, acquiring A$1.9 billion portfolio of 8 assets, backed by a A$1 billion equity from big investors (Source)
• New study reveals international students ‘driving average rents down’ in Australia with high concentration of students (Source)

Canada

• Canada tightens family open work permit rules for international students and foreign workers, limiting eligibility to spouses of select individuals starting January 21, 2025 (Source)
• Canada to cap study permit applications at 550,162 for 2025, marking a further 10% reduction amid rising housing and immigration concerns (Source)
• Federal Government invests $15B in CMHC’s apartment construction loan program to boost rental housing supply across Canada (Source)
• University of Calgary tackles growing student housing demand with new solutions, including $15M renovations and additional off-campus accommodations (Source)
• Ontario's 11-storey student housing project at former Days Inn in Guelph approved, offering 463 units, 724 beds, and retail space; to replace temporary residence on Gordon Street (Source)
• University of Victoria plans 500-bed student housing project near Sinclair Road, targeting Spring 2026 construction for Fall 2029 occupancy (Source)
• UCN announces modular student housing facility in Flin Flon, set to welcome students by Summer 2025, supporting education in northern Manitoba (Source)

Europe

• CBRE survey reveals European investors plan to explore alternative investment strategies in 2025, with almost 50% of responders expressing strong preference for student housing (Source)
• Greystar acquires 3 projects from Bain Capital to add around 2,000 beds to its portfolio in Madrid, Barcelona, and Bilbao, with a gross valuation of approximately €300 million (Source)
• France targets to attract 30,000 Indian students by 2030 by offering substantial scholarships and cost of living stipend for incoming students (Source)
• Xior expands in Poland by acquisition of 2 prime and operational student residences in Wroclaw and Warsaw, adding approximately 900 beds for €67 million and bringing total capacity to around 3,600 beds (Source)
• Study reveals significant growth of university residence market in Spain and Portugal, highlighting growing trend of students opting for university accommodations in place of shared flats (Source)
• University of Algarve invests €15.8 million for new two residences, comprising a total of 287 beds in Faro, Portugal (Source)
• Aveiro City Council plans installation of 219 rooms for students in new private university residence costing €12 million in Portugal (Source)
• Vitruvius plans to build 119 student rooms along Koning Albert I-laan in Belgium in urgent need to add more student beds (Source)
• Brookfield plans sale of Spanish student housing arm “Livensa Living” for €1.3 billion, appointing Morgan Stanley & Eastdil Secured LLC as advisors (Source)

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