Watkin Jones, the UK's leading developer and manager of residential for rent, is pleased to announce that the Group has recently topped out on a 260 bed Purpose Built Student Accommodation (‘PBSA’) development at Gas Lane in Bristol. This commemorative event signals that the concrete framework is now complete. This is a significant milestone for all parties, including Watkin Jones, Hines, acquiring on behalf of the Hines European Property Partners Fund (‘HEPP’), Bristol City Council and the subcontractors.
Forward funded by HEPP, the global real estate investment, development, and property manager, the scheme will offer 219 ensuite cluster bedrooms and 41 self-contained studios. Residents will be able to enjoy a communal lounge and further amenities including a landscaped roof terrace for them to relax and socialise.
The scheme is ideally located adjacent to the University of Bristol’s new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus with the main Bristol train station, Temple Meads, less than half a mile away, offering transport links to London Paddington and Oxford in approximately 90 minutes and to Bath in 10 minutes. Castle Park, Cabot Circus, and The Galleries Shopping Centre are all a ten-minute walk away, all of which offer a wide variety of shops, restaurants, bars, pubs, gyms, and green spaces. Additionally, the lively Harbourside neighborhood, centered around the Bristol Feeder Canal, is also nearby.
In support of Watkin Jones’ ESG credentials, the project aims to achieve BREEAM Excellent and WiredScore Silver certifications. The design of the development includes provisions for cyclists with 84 dedicated bicycle parking spaces. Additionally, the development will feature biodiverse roof areas, bird and bat boxes, and wildlife-friendly landscaping and planting. Moreover, a minimum of 80% of non-hazardous and demolition waste produced during the construction process will be either reused or recycled.
Upon completion, the scheme will be managed by Aparto, HEPP’s full-service student platform.
Gwyn Pritchard, Managing Director – Construction, Watkin Jones, said: “We are pleased to announce the successful topping-out of our PBSA project at Gas Lane in Bristol in conjunction with our partner, HEPP.
“This milestone signifies the substantial progress achieved to date and this is thanks to the dedication and efficiency of our construction team. This celebration reflects our continued commitment to delivering high-quality, sustainable homes for students in Bristol, a leading UK city of choice for further education. We look forward to completing the project and handing over the property in time for the 2025/2026 academic year.”
Jurrien de Koning, Managing Director at Hines commented: “We are delighted with the progress so far and look forward to Gas Lane being delivered ready to welcome students for the 2025/26 academic year.”
- Ends -
Media enquiries:
Burson Buchanan
Henry Harrison-Topham / Jamie Hooper
watkinjones@buchanan.uk.com
www.buchanancomms.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000
Notes to Editors
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 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
About Hines European Property Partners (HEPP):
HEPP is a diversified open-ended real estate core-plus fund focused on key European markets. HEPP will leverage Hines' vertically integrated platform, seeking to create alpha and deliver superior risk-adjusted returns. The Fund will seek to acquire and develop sustainable assets across a range of sectors including logistics, office, living – residential, student and senior housing. HEPP was launched in Q2 2022.
About Hines
Hines is a global real estate investment, development and property manager. The firm was founded by Gerald D. Hines in 1957 and now operates in 30 countries. We manage a €84.4bn1 portfolio of high-performing assets across residential, logistics, retail, office, and mixed-use strategies. Our local teams serve 857 properties totaling over 25.1 million square meters globally. We are committed to a net zero carbon target by 2040 without buying offsets.
To learn more about Hines, visit www.hines.com and follow @Hines on social media.
¹Includes both the global Hines organisation as well as RIA AUM as of December 31, 2023.
