UK Student Accommodation Are Highest on Record

The UK is seeing significant growth in the total number of beds at Purpose-Built Student Accommodation - PBSA buildings as the new academic year approaches

This year, more than 33,500 beds in UK student accommodation properties have been added to the market, 81% of which are managed privately. This is recorded to be the highest so far, marking a 5.2% year-on-year growth. A great number of projects have been delivered this year across the country. The city with the biggest number is Liverpool, with 3,488 student beds, closely followed by Sheffield standing at 2,988. Furthermore, Bournemouth and Swansea have seen 28% and 21% year-on-year PBSA growth, respectively.

These UK student accommodation statistics are revealed just as major construction and refurbishment firm Clark Contracts, with projects all across the UK, just delivered a total of 10 refurbishment projects at the Gilmorehill Campus of the University of Glasgow accommodation. The largest project on campus, delivered by the company’s Small Works division, was the renovation of 12 apartments within the university’s Southpark Terrace student residence. Other projects, delivered between May and August, comprised office renovation work, as well as internal and external repairs across the university’s buildings.

This marks only the latest collaboration between the company and the university. Commenting on the achievement, the director of Clark Contracts, Gerry Cummins, said: "We are delighted to have collaborated with the University of Glasgow again this year to deliver their summer refurbishment projects and we look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship with the university which began in 1999."

The PBSA market shows no signs of slowing down. Plans have already been submitted to convert a timber yard located in Leith, Edinburgh, into a new student housing. The project would require the demolition of properties at 48-50 Lona Street, just west of the city centre, freeing up space to build residential flats and student homes. The plans were put forth by a construction firm called S Harrison.