Watkin Jones, a leading developer in the student accommodation sector, has announced a significant joint venture with Housing Growth Partnership (HGP), an equity investor backed by Lloyds Banking Group. The partnership aims to develop a state-of-the-art, 397-bed purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) in Stratford, East London. The project boasts a gross development value of approximately £120 million.

Strategically located on a brownfield site on Grove Crescent, the new development will cater to the growing student population at nearby institutions. These include the University College London (UCL) East and the University of the Arts London’s London College of Fashion campuses in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, as well as Birkbeck College and the University of East London (UEL) University Square Stratford campus.

The scheme will not only provide much-needed accommodation for the circa 14,000 students in the area but will also include approximately 2000m² of commercial space, further enhancing the local infrastructure.

In this venture, Housing Growth Partnership will be contributing 75% of the required equity, while Watkin Jones will provide the remaining 25%. Watkin Jones will oversee the delivery of the project and its ongoing management through their dedicated accommodation management business, Fresh.

George Dyer, Group Investment Director of Watkin Jones, commented: “We are delighted to partner with HGP on this joint venture, which will allow us to deliver secured returns in line with group targets whilst also offering the opportunity for outperformance from the recovery of the London PBSA market. The project will provide much needed supply into Stratford, a key student location within London, delivering high quality accommodation with strong ESG credentials.”


Colin Bennett, Investment Director at HGP, added: “Establishing our first joint venture with Watkin Jones, one of the UK’s leading PBSA providers, is another milestone for HGP. It also demonstrates the growing demand for our equity offering as a means to accelerate the delivery of much needed Living accommodation across the UK. The demographic and structural drivers underpinning the PBSA sector especially in London, a global leader in higher education provision, are highly supportive. Having surpassed our 10,000 homes target a year earlier than planned, we continue to diversify into new tenures and commit larger investments, whilst continuing to deliver meaningful social impact for both residents and wider communities.”

The completion of the PBSA is targeted for the start of the 2026/27 academic year, aligning with the anticipated demand from the expanding student bodies of the surrounding educational institutions.

This development underscores the ongoing commitment to rejuvenating Stratford and providing high-quality living spaces for students, contributing to the area’s growth and modernisation.