The UK has over 680,000 international students but purpose-built accommodation makes up less than 30% of the supply.
PETALING JAYA: Gamuda Land, the property arm of Gamuda Bhd, has acquired a prime site at 14 Marshgate Lane in Stratford, London, for a new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development valued at approximately RM600mil. This is Gamuda Land UK’s first fully owned PBSA project, highlighting the company’s capabilities in a competitive property market.
Located in London, the 321-bed Marshgate Lane project will be completed in the academic year 2028/29. It is strategically positioned as the closest private PBSA to UCL East and will serve students from the London College of Fashion, with a combined population of over 10,000 students.
“PBSA is a counter-cyclical asset class underpinned by strong and consistent student demand, which helps balance our residential and commercial portfolios. The UK has one of the world’s largest international student populations with over 680,000 enrolments, yet purpose-built accommodation currently accounts for less than 30% of supply. This structural undersupply, coupled with universities’ ongoing global appeal, gives us confidence in long-term earnings visibility,” said Gamuda Land chief executive officer Chu Wai Lune.
Gamuda Land’s UK pipeline now stands at approximately RM8.4bil, anchored by a RM6.7bil prime office redevelopment of 75 London Wall in partnership with Castleforge.
“75 London Wall demonstrates our ability to strategically commit to prime opportunities. Savills data shows Central London leasing rebounded strongly in early 2025, led by demand for Grade A space. That gives us confidence in the resilience of the prime office market. Together with our PBSA assets, these projects underline the financial resilience and discipline of Gamuda, providing us with a strong pipeline that supports medium- to long-term growth visibility,” said Chu.
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