Unite Students is set to build its first mixed student and private residential accommodation with a new 401-bed development in Edinburgh.

Burnet Point will include purpose-built student accommodation, build-to-rent (BTR) and affordable apartments.

With a total development cost of £59 million, the city centre development will also be Unite Students' lowest carbon new-build and will use low-carbon concrete and timber composite, an environmentally friendly alternative to natural wood. Its life cycle assessment is currently 702 kgCO2e/m2 (carbon emission equivalent per square metre), the lowest in the Group’s new-build portfolio.

As part of the project, Unite Students plans to establish a dedicated community area. Collaborating with local charities and community organisations, they aim to identify a suitable partner in the coming months.

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Scheduled for completion in September of next year Burnet Point will be ready for the commencement of the 2025/26 academic term. It will include 298 student beds and 49 privately rented residential units. Additionally, 17 affordable residential apartments will be made available through the housing association, Hillcrest Homes. This development expands upon Unite Students' Build-to-Rent (BTR) initiative, which was initiated in 2022 with the acquisition of 180 Stratford in London.

Tom Brewerton, Group Development 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. This development reflects Unite Students’ ongoing commitment to provide high-standard, affordable student accommodation in locations where demand is greatest.

"We are excited to build our lowest carbon new-build property to date in our portfolio. The development will also contribute to the regeneration of the local area, which has seen significant investment in recent years. We are working closely with the community and later this year will offer a dedicated space for use by a local charity which is aligned with our purpose of creating a Home for Success."