黑洞社区

A 500-home student accommodation scheme in Bristol has been delayed until 2027 due to hold-ups in gaining gateway 2 approval from the 黑洞社区 Safety Regulator (BSR), developer Unite Students has said.

The student housing specialist, in its results for the year to 31 December, said its Freestone Island scheme which had been due to complete in time for the start of the 2026/2027 academic year will not now finish until 2027.

The news underlines warnings in the student accommodation market that schemes will be delayed by a whole year 鈥� as opposed to weeks and months 鈥� to fit in with new academic years.

The developer repeated its previous warning that approvals required by the BSR under the 黑洞社区 Safety Act (BSA) are adding 鈥渁round six months to development programmes鈥�.

It said the delays have contributed to its new supply in the year to 31 December being 鈥榗onstrained鈥� at 11,000 beds.

It said: 鈥淣ew supply of purpose-built student accommodation is also down 60% on pre-pandemic levels, reflecting viability challenges created by higher costs of construction and funding as well as planning backlogs and time required to secure BSA approvals.鈥�

>> See also: What the delays at the 黑洞社区 Safety Regulator mean for high-rise development

>> See also: Fewer than one in four high-rise residential projects have got gateway 3 final building safety stage sign-off

Under the BSA developers must get approval for projects involving high-rise buildings over 18 metres (HRBs) from the new regulator at three separate points.

Several developers have reported hold-ups when trying to obtain gateway 2 approval, which is needed to enable construction to start.

Despite the delays, Unite Students increased its overall turnover by 8% from 拢276.1m to 拢299.3m. Its pre-tax profit more than quadrupled from 拢102.5m to 拢444m.

Last week, Wembley Park developer Quintain said it had been waiting more than nine months for safety sign-off on one of its schemes at the site.

The firm has been waiting more than 37 weeks to get gateway 2 sign-off on part of a 487 homes scheme called NE02 which is being built by Sisk.

It said nearly 200 homes have been completed before Christmas but residents cannot move because the firm is waiting for gateway 3 approval 鈥� meaning homes are deemed safe to occupy.