Capital set for £59m Burnet Point development

An organisation that says it is the UK’S largest provider of student accommodation is combining university and private residential housing for the first time in a forthcoming £59 million development in Edinburgh.

Unite Students says the 401bed property known as Burnet Point is set to be completed in September next year, ready for the start of 2025/26 academic year, and will include 298 purpose-built student properties, 49 private-rented residential apartments, and 17 affordable flatsprovidedthroughhousing association Hillcrest Homes. The development extends the firm’sbuild-to-rentpilot,which beganin2022whenitacquired 180 Stratford, in London.

Burnet Point is also expected to offer a dedicated communityspace,andwillinthecoming months work with local charities and community groups to find a partner. The site is also expected to be Unite Students’ lowest carbon new-build, and will use low-carbon concrete and timber composite, billed as an environmentally friendly alternative to natural wood.

Tombrewerton,groupdevelopment director at Unite Students, said: “This is the company’s first combined development of purpose-built student accommodation,build-to-rent and affordable housing. We look forward to contributing positively to the student and private rental market in Edinburgh to help address the supply-demand imbalance in the city.”

Unite Students says it provides homes to 70,000 students across 158 properties in 23 university towns and cities – including Edinburgh (where its sites include Sugarhouse Close), Glasgow (in September 2023announcinga£95m,800bed development that would increase its portfolio in the city tosome3,000apartments),and Aberdeen.