Highlights:
- Practical completion achieved on the 397-bed PBSA element of Venti House in Stratford
- The development has been funded through a Joint Venture between Watkin Jones and Housing Growth Partnership (‘HGP’)
Watkin Jones, the UK's leading developer and manager of residential for rent, is pleased to announce the practical completion of the 397-bed Purpose Built Student Accommodation ('PBSA') element of Venti House in Stratford. The development has been funded through a Joint Venture between Watkin Jones and HGP - the Lloyds Banking Group and backed equity investor focused on the UK Living sector.
Venti House will offer 241 en suite cluster bedrooms and 156 self-contained studio apartments across three blocks. Residents will be able to enjoy numerous amenities including landscaped roof terraces, a gym, group study spaces, a games lounge, a tea point & social area, dedicated podcast and social media rooms, a karaoke room, a media room and private dining facilities. This is in addition to 2,000 sqm of commercial space in a well-connected location within one of London’s established PBSA markets.
It offers easy access to a number of leading universities, including UCL East, London College of Fashion, Birkbeck and the University of East London’s Stratford campus, as well as excellent transport links via the Elizabeth Line. By creating high-quality accommodation in a supply-constrained market, Venti House will contribute to meeting the capital’s growing demand for student housing.
Venti House has been thoughtfully designed and built to deliver strong ESG performance. Watkin Jones is committed to sustainability, targeting a minimum BREEAM “Excellent” rating. The development features an all-electric heating system, eliminating gas usage entirely, alongside an engineered facade with reduced air permeability to minimise heat loss. Sustainable transport is also a key feature, with cycle spaces provided for residents and visitors, with on-site parking limited to DDA use only.
Gwyn Pritchard, Managing Director, Watkin Jones, said:
“Reaching practical completion on the PBSA element of Venti House is a key milestone for the business and reflects our continued focus on delivering high‑quality, sustainable student accommodation in key UK markets. Through our joint venture with HGP, we’ve delivered a well‑located scheme that responds directly to London’s growing demand for purpose‑built student homes. Venti House is a great example of the type of asset we deliver - future‑focused, efficient and designed around the needs of today’s students.”
Colin Bennett, Investment Director at HGP, commented:
“We are delighted at the Practical Completion of Venti House by our partner, Watkin Jones which is ahead of programme and on budget. The team has delivered a “best in-class” student scheme which features an array of quality accommodation and amenities for students to enjoy. Letting activity is positive and we are confident in leasing the asset as we progress towards the 2026/2027 academic year.”
Media enquiries:
MHP Group (Watkin Jones)
Reg Hoare, Rachel Farrington, Catherine Chapman Tel: + +44 (0)7711 191518
Notes to Editors
About Watkin Jones
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 48,000 student beds across 143 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 22,000 student beds and build to rent apartments on behalf of its institutional clients. Watkin Jones has also been responsible for over 80 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 HGP
HGP (Housing Growth Partnership) is the Lloyds Banking Group backed equity investor focused on the UK Living sector. We invest capital alongside developers and housebuilders to enable the accelerated delivery of homes across the UK.
We do this through our unique investment approach, which shares both risk and reward with our partners. We have a track record of, and commitment to, delivering tangible social impact through our investments.
Our team has the expertise and flexibility to fund multiple tenures, including family housing, apartments, build to rent, regeneration, affordable housing, student accommodation and retirement living.
Since 2016, HGP has partnered with nearly 100 developers across 177 schemes, committing to nearly 15,000 homes of which over 7,000 homes have been built and sold, with the balance of 7,500 in development.
Visit our website: https://www.housinggrowth.com/