Student Roost, the third-largest student accommodation provider in the UK, said it has acquired two sites with planning permission for purpose-built student accommodation in Manchester and Birmingham which will add 1,850 beds to its UK portfolio.

Student Roost is owned by a joint venture between US-based real estate giant Greystar and global institutional investor GIC.

One Medlock is Student Roost’s first asset in Manchester, while The Triangle signals its return to Birmingham. Both assets will be developed by Greystar with its in-house Global Design team leading the fit-out of rooms and amenity spaces to a newly developed Student Roost specification guide.

Ashling Fox, Managing Director, Student Roost, said: “One Medlock will be our first property in Manchester, enabling us to invest in the vibrant student community and bring the unique Student Roost experience to a Northern powerhouse city, while The Triangle in Birmingham will see our return to the city where Student Roost was founded and where our head office is based.”

Ben Mowbray, Managing Director – UK Investment, Greystar, said: “The UK is facing a chronic under supply of good quality student accommodation in the UK’s leading university cities such as Birmingham and Manchester. We are actively looking for acquisition and development opportunities to expand the Student Roost platform in the UK. The acquisitions in Manchester and Birmingham present an opportunity to build two new assets from the ground up and implement our refreshed design guide for Student Roost to help us create the very best buildings for students.”

One Medlock in Manchester was acquired from Whitbread plc. The 37-storey building will comprise 1,014 student beds and 13,000 sq ft of resident amenities including a gym, yoga studio, quiet study areas, meeting spaces, screening rooms, shared lounges, and games rooms. Located in the Deansgate regeneration area, One Medlock is an 11-minute walk from Manchester Metropolitan University and a 20-minute walk from both the main and north campuses of The University of Manchester – two of the UK’s most populous universities. The asset is scheduled to be operational by 2028.

The Triangle in Selly Oak, Birmingham, was acquired from Galliard Homes and Apsley House Capital, and will redevelop a former Sainsbury’s supermarket site. The six-storey building will house 836 student beds and 13,000 sq ft of resident amenities including a gym, social spaces, cinema room, and private study rooms. Residents will also have access to several landscaped courtyards.