A 303-bed student accommodation project has started in James Street, York. This project is being conducted by GMI Construction Group. 

S. Harrison Developments awarded this £22 million contract for the construction of the building to GMI after getting the green light for student use in 2022. This is a huge deal because of the number of accommodation options that will be provided. 

There is a forward-funding agreement between the developer and Q Investment Partners (QIP) that the project greatly benefits from. Investment Partners (QIP) is based in Singapore. 

The project is set to be completed in the spring of 2025. The main aim of the project is to recognise and address the shortage of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) in the city.

Located just off Lawrence Street, the site is really close to both of the city’s universities. This is important because students will save more money as they won’t be spending much on transportation. 

This student accommodation, which is a four-storey construction unit, will have almost 108 individual studio rooms and 195 cluster bedrooms. 

This accommodation will have a variety of amenities and features to facilitate the students stay. On the ground floor, for example, there will be an array of features, such as a cinema, shared working spaces, a gym, a laundry room, and a reception/common room area. There will also be external works, which will have parking spaces and a cycle store. 

There will also be landscaped areas, including a pocket park in the southeast area of the site, which was built by CSP Architects of York. 

There will also be a section of land along James Street that will be dedicated to being part of the highway; this will create a 3.5-metre-wide path that is shared between pedestrians and cyclists, giving them the space they need. 

This site had an accident repair centre before, which was operated by Alton Cars. They have relocated to a larger 22,000 sq. ft. premises as they needed more space. It is located at The Airfield Industrial Estate, Elvington.

After the completion of the project, its development will be managed by student accommodation specialists Homes for Students under their brand, Prestige Student Living.

GMI's Divisional Managing Director for Yorkshire, Andrew Hurcomb, said, "GMI has a strong track record of delivering student accommodation across the North of England and the Midlands.” 

"The James Street development is in an ideal location given that it is within walking distance of two universities and will help York confirm its position as a top study destination by expanding the range of quality facilities available for students." He added.

"We have been headquartered in York for over 70 years and have successfully designed and delivered many successful PBSA schemes in York, Leeds, and Edinburgh in recent years, totaling thousands of bedrooms.” Martyn Harrison from S Harrison remarked. 

"Our ability to create exceptional developments in highly sought-after locations means we have strong relationships with many leading PBSA and institutional investors, both in the UK and globally, and we're very pleased to agree to our first deal with QIP.” He added. 

He also stated, "High-quality PBSA is in real demand in York, especially for schemes like this one, which is so close to both the University of York and York St. John University. When this is combined with our local knowledge and QIP's experience in the sector, there's no doubt this development will prove to be very popular with the city's student population."