LD Events Conference – 9th May – A Retrospective View Article Creating a ResLife Programme for Key View Article Three rules of work, two DBFOs, and a footbridge View Article Reflections on the LD Events Student Housing Conference 2022 View Article How has COVID shaped the students of 21/22 – Creating a post-COVID Programme View Article Reflections on 2021 for the UK PBSA Sector and Student First Group View Article Should I Stay or Should I Go? View Article Between a Rock and a Heard Place – Operating in the time of Corona View Article Virtual Adaptation during COVID-19: Who has done what well? View Article Building Virtual Res Life Communities: Digital Natives do not Exist View Article COVID-19, PBSA and sending students ‘home’. View Article Transitioning to University in the UK – How PBSA Providers can play their part View Article

The 2022/23 academic year saw a surge in the need for Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) in the UK, in the aftermath of the pandemic years. We took a snapshot of the availability of PBSA across the country on 2 October 2023 to ask: one year later, how easy or difficult is it for students to find accommodation at this point in the cycle? SFG partners with Student Crowd who collates data with 100% coverage of UK PBSA.

Interview with Richard Gabelich- Founder & CEO Student First Group Thursday Jun 20, 2019 On our latest episode Nick explores a specialised area of student housing gaining in popularity in the sector and that is Design, Build, Finance and Operate or DBFO partnership schemes as they are more commonly known. Under DBFO schemes a student housing partner typically takes a long lease of university-owned land, designs a scheme in conjunction with the university, raises finance, builds it, operates it and takes the risk of finding occupants. In return, the university receives a capital receipt, the expertise of a dedicated partner and continued influence over creating a high-quality student experience. We welcome on the episode Richard Gabelich of the Student First Group to explore this complex deal area. Student First provide innovative student accommodation advisory, investment, development and asset management solutions to developers, investors, universities and operators. Visit Podcast Lorem Ipsum is simply dumy text of the printing typesetting industry lorem ipsum.

Interview with Rebecca O’Hare- Head of Partnerships & Resident Experience at SFG Thursday Oct 10, 2019 On this latest episode we look at Reslife, which is very timely with a new intake of student residents arriving across the country for this year’s academic intake.  We welcome on Rebecca O’Hare to share her expertise in the sector. With over a decade of experience in the student accommodation market, Rebecca has recently embarked on a new venture with Student First Group as their Head of Partnerships and Resident Experience.  Visit Podcast Lorem Ipsum is simply dumy text of the printing typesetting industry lorem ipsum.

How do you view the partnerships between universities and accommodation providers?

This is our latest report on an ever-growing investment sector involving partnerships between universities, developers, investors and operators to create new or refurbished student housing. In the first research publication of this kind since 2018, we examine Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) structures, as well as income strips. We ask: how has this sector grown? Who is active in the market? What is the pipeline of projects? What are the current challenges? And – what might the future hold?

Student First Group (SFG) and CBRE jointly ran a seminar in late 2022, bringing together developers, operators and universities to ask this question. London is still experiencing a bottleneck in Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA): supply is falling behind demand from students across the UK and across the world who are drawn to London as one of the top international destinations for Higher Education. SFG has been building a profile of university requirements, actively matching supply with demand, and introducing universities to potential developments with a good fit. In this report, we summarise the points that we made in the seminar and distil the ideas brought to the table by the attendees, all of whom had first-hand experience of grappling with the issues.

UK-based advisor and asset management firm SF Investment Management has overseen the three-year rehabilitation of a 200-year-old historic building in Lisbon and subsequent lease agreement between The Inditex Group and Rossio Pombalino S.A. Since February 2018, Rossio Pombalino S.A. has invested over €100 million in the acquisition and rehabilitation of this flagship building and Lisbon landmark, which included repair and strengthening of original pombaline walls and staircases, a completely new roof, repainted frescos, recreated stucco ceilings, repaired original fixtures and the restoration by hand of over 20,000 original azulejo tiles from the 18th century. The company is 100% owned by an international family office who hold this asset as part of a diversified portfolio of financial investments and real estate ventures. Rossio Pombalino represents the Inditex Group’s new strategy of larger flagship physical stores, providing a unique experience to store visitors and customers, containing the full range of its collections and accompanying with better logistics and technology. Richard Gabelich, co-manager of the development and CEO of SF Investment Management  who advises the owner: “We are very pleased with the agreement with the Inditex Group, managing to maintain the balance between the modern future, represented by the brand of an international fashion retail leader and which has a privileged operational relationship with Iberia, and maintaining the Pombaline characteristics that we jointly wanted to preserve. This is an excellent opportunity for Zara to come and energise the most noble area in the heart of the city of Lisbon and brings a world class long term partner appropriate to the super prime nature of the location” The project involved a broad and careful rehabilitation operation of one of the most well-known spaces in Lisbon, once partially occupied by Pastelaria Suiça. This has resulted in an exemplary initiative to safeguard the heritage, creating conditions for the installation of a modern store and adapted to the current time, but preserving the identity and all the architectural elements relevant to the existing construction. In keeping with this sympathetic restoration, Richard Gabelich adds: “The historic tea and coffee shop ‘Pérola do Rossio’ remains as an integral part of ‘Rossio Pombalino’, under the management of the original family who celebrated 100 years in 2023 and ensuring the preservation of the historical memory of the building.” The rehabilitation of the building has maintained other key historically significant elements of architectural and patrimonial value such as the historic store ‘Manteigaria União’. It is this mixture of architectural and commercial elements that give the recreated space the mark of a contemporary intervention.

LONDON, July 2024– Student First Group (SFG), the UK’s leading Higher Education PBSA advisor, is proud to have advised Staffordshire University on its groundbreaking Student Village project since inception. SFG team members Robert Kingham and David Stephens developed the strategy and have been working closely with the University to provide expert guidance and insights throughout the project’s evolution. The Student Village project achieved financial close in July 2024, and the first new beds will be available in 2026, creating 700 new student rooms in modern cluster blocks and townhouses, supporting the existing vibrant student community on the University’s Stoke-on-Trent campus. Designed by award-winning architects Corstorphine and Wright, the project will integrate highly sustainable architecture with the natural beauty of the surrounding area, including Staffordshire University’s nature reserve and the River Trent. Clarice Cliff Court, the University’s existing halls, will also be comprehensively refurbished, with upgraded bedrooms, enlarged and enhanced communal kitchens, and improved landscaping. A central “hub” facility will offer students a dynamic social space for events, well-being activities, study areas, and a rooftop terrace with stunning views. A new pedestrian footbridge will seamlessly connect the Student Village to the University’s existing academic, sports, and leisure facilities, further enhancing the student experience. “We are delighted to have supported Staffordshire University on this transformative project,” said Robert Kingham, Head of University Advisory at SFG. “Our team’s expertise in Design, Build, Finance and Operate partnership deals, and commitment to creating exceptional living experiences, have been instrumental in helping the University shape its vision for this state-of-the-art Student Village. We are confident that it will set a new benchmark for student living in the UK.” The multi-million-pound scheme will be delivered in partnership with Staffordshire Campus Living, a consortium comprising Hochtief, Plenary, and Staffordshire University. Willmott Dixon will lead on construction, while Pinnacle Group will work with the University to ensure the smooth operation of the new accommodation. “Robert has worked on the proposal for a new Student Village for Staffordshire University since summer 2020. The advice that we have received from SFG has always felt balanced and evidence based. SFG has an excellent understanding of the market as well as the ability to work with the University and the other professional advisors to translate our requirements into concrete actions.” Sally McGill CFO and Deputy Chief Executive Staffordshire University About Student First Group: Student First Group (SFG) is a leading consultancy specialising in the Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) market. With a team of senior professionals boasting extensive property and legal backgrounds, SFG offers comprehensive commercial advice and support on strategy, transactions, development, and operations. Their track record includes involvement in over 50 successful university partnership and direct-let PBSA projects, solidifying their expertise in this niche sector. Founded in 2018 by industry experts Martin Hadland and Richard Gabelich, SFG has consistently facilitated solutions and added value across diverse assets in multiple countries. In 2022, their University Advisory team expanded with the addition of experts from Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), further strengthening their capabilities. SFG is committed to prioritising the student experience in every aspect of their work, ensuring that design and operational considerations always put the student first. The leadership team’s extensive experience, including roles at Campus Living Villages (CLV) and JLL, along with their involvement in over 15,000 PBSA beds in the UK and 45,000 globally, underscores SFG’s dedication to excellence in the student accommodation sector. Media Contact James McCracken Frances and Kevin 07557 096 093