Watkin Jones, the UK’s leading developer and manager of residential for rent, in partnership with Lacuna Developments, is pleased to announce that Belfast City Council’s Planning Committee has approved its plans for the Student Village, a major purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter. Proposals by the joint development venture between the Group and Lacuna Developments will help to meet the growing demand for high-quality managed student accommodation, at the heart of Belfast’s Innovation District.
Located on the Titanic Quarter estate, one of Europe’s largest waterfront regeneration projects and in close proximity to Queens University’s Institute for Electronics, Communications and Information Technology, the proposals will regenerate a currently vacant former industrial site, delivering high-quality, environmentally sustainable accommodation for 1,0071 students split across two phases and offering good connectivity to the city centre, and the two universities, alongside access to retail and leisure offerings located in the immediate vicinity. The car-free scheme is set to deliver against some of the highest sustainability standards in the city, including a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, rooftop solar panels, carbon-free heating using air source heat pumps and heat recovery units, rainwater recovery systems, and will enhance sustainable travel between the site and universities through a green travel fund.
These modern studio bedrooms and cluster flats will feature 24/7 management and a range of residential unit types to suit students at various stages of their academic life and studying at any of Belfast’s universities or higher education locations. With a café, shared lounges, dining areas, games rooms, study spaces, launderettes and gyms, the level of amenity at Titanic Quarter Student Village exceeds any operational, in-construction, or proposed purpose-built management student accommodation scheme in Belfast.
In addition to managed student accommodation, Titanic Quarter aims to deliver new private, social, and affordable homes for more than 8,000 new residents before 2035, alongside commercial, leisure and hospitality development.
George Dyer, Group Investment Director of Watkin Jones, said: "We are pleased that Belfast City Council has approved the Titanic Quarter Student Village application. This scheme will help to address the growing need for PBSA accommodation in Belfast whilst supporting a sustainable and safe community for living, working, and leisure.
"Residents will benefit from excellent transport links which will be further enhanced through the green travel fund, proximity to the city centre, and nearby developments including Titanic Belfast, Odyssey SSE Arena, and Titanic Film Studios. Our proposals include a landscaped courtyard garden and amenities including gyms, common rooms, and recreation facilities, complementing the restaurants, cafés, bars, and park at this waterfront location.
“The Student Village is the second proposed investment in Titanic Quarter by the joint venture, having forward sold the Loft Lines, a BTR development, to Legal & General and Clanmil Housing last year. Through both projects we have collaborated closely with Titanic Quarter Limited and Belfast Harbour Commissioners, delivering part of its longer-term vision for Queen’s Island, regenerating a former industrial area into a sustainable place to live, study and play.”
Anthony Best, Managing Director of Lacuna Developments, added: “We believe that our Titanic Quarter Student Village offers students and academics from all institutions across the city a fresh choice for managed accommodation, in an exciting area of the city.
“We are responding to the very real demand from all our universities and higher education colleges for managed student accommodation. Belfast is a great city, with a growing knowledge economy that needs students and graduates living here to be successful.”
Designed by Belfast-based architects, Todd architects, the new student village development was supported during the planning and engagement processes by independent planning and development consultancy, Turley.
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UK Media enquiries:
Burson Buchanan
Henry Harrison-Topham / Jamie Hooper
watkinjones@buchanan.uk.com
www.bursonbuchanan.com
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000
Northern Ireland /Republic of Ireland media enquiries:
Turley (Lacuna Developments)
John Davison
john.davison@turley.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 7714 488 254
Notes to editors:
1 The proposed development consists of accommodation for 1,007 students, consisting of 286 studio bedrooms and 721 cluster rooms.
The site was part of the expansion of the shipyard between 1879 and 1880, as Harland & Wolff erected an engine works, boiler shop, foundry and associated facilities including pattern, joiners’ and smiths’ shops. The lands were re-developed forming engineering works presumably as a consequence of damage arising from the Luftwaffe Blitz in 1941. The engineering works were eventually vacated in the 1990s and eventually demolished. The site has remained vacant since.
Plans for the second phase of Belfast Rapid Transit - Glider linking Titanic Quarter with North and South Belfast via the city centre were unveiled in October 2022 by Infrastructure Minister, John O’Dowd.
Queen’s Island Transport Plan (www.queensislandtransport.com), developed by Titanic Quarter and Belfast Harbour was consulted on earlier this year, sets outs how the partners aim to increase sustainable public and active transport to and from Queen’s Island.
Watkin Jones is the UK's leading developer and manager of residential for rent, with a focus on the build to rent, student accommodation and affordable housing sectors The Group has strong relationships with institutional investors, and a reputation for successful, on-time-delivery of high quality developments. Since 1999, Watkin Jones has delivered over 49,000 student beds across 147 sites, making it a key player and leader in the UK purpose-built student accommodation market, and is increasingly expanding its operations into the build to rent sector. In addition, Fresh, the Group's specialist accommodation management business, manages over 19,000 student beds and build to rent apartments on behalf of its institutional clients. Watkin Jones has also been responsible for over 50 residential developments, ranging from starter homes to executive housing and apartments.
The Group's competitive advantage lies in its experienced management team and capital-light business model, which enables it to offer an end-to-end solution for investors, delivered entirely in-house with minimal reliance on third parties, across the entire life cycle of an asset.
Watkin Jones was admitted to trading on AIM in March 2016 with the ticker WJG.L. For additional information please visit www.watkinjonesplc.com