John Laing has announced that it is partnering with Uliving, the student accommodation joint venture of Bouygues Development and Derwent Living, on a university campus development project in Brighton, located in southern England.

The Moulsecoomb campus will consist of five towers, ranging in height from 8 to 18 floors, that will provide over 800 affordable student bedrooms and space at ground level for new Students’ Union and fitness facilities. The development is being built on the site of the University of Brighton’s Mithras House car park and is due to be ready for students starting courses from September 2021.

Uliving is taking on the financing, development and management of the new student facilities with a 50-year operating term, with John Laing serving as its investment partner. Aviva Investors’ Lime Property Fund is providing additional long-term development finance through an income strip deal.

The development will be delivered by construction company Bouygues UK, and Bouygues Energies and Services will be in charge of facilities management.

In addition to the new accommodation, a new pedestrian bridge across the busy Lewes Road will link both sides of the campus, with improved walking routes through the campus, new green spaces and extensive landscaping.

The campus transformation started last September when work got underway on a new multi-storey car park that will replace all existing surface parking at the campus. The project recently entered a new phase with the start of work on the five new student accommodation blocks.