Melburg submits £100m 370 bed eco-student scheme in Bristol as part of wider Living push
Melburg Capital [Melburg] have submitted plans to convert the former South Plaza office block, located in Bristol City Centre, into a 370-bed purpose built student accommodation development with associated facilities.
The submission follows on from Melburg’s proposed Redcatch Quarter development, within Knowle, Bristol, with a planned 850 residential beds as part of a significant investment into “Living” sectors to complement their expansive UK industrial portfolio which exceeds 2.5 million sq ft.
The £100 million student scheme will include a state-of-the-art gymnasium with changing facilities, full café and leisure facilities, a screening room, golf simulator and 370 secure bike storage spaces, one for each student as part of the proposed zero-student car strategy.
As part of Melburg’s ongoing commitment to achieving operational carbon neutrality across their growing portfolio, repurposing the office block will save 4,215 tonnes of embodied CO2, when compared with a demolition and rebuild.
The embodied carbon will be 33% lower than a new ultra-low energy steel framed building, the equivalent of powering 1,504 houses a year, 593 petrol cars, 25 long haul flights or running 49 London buses for a whole year. The proposal will also save an additional 3,000 tonnes of CO2 by hooking up to Bristol’s District Heat Network.
The proposed ground-floor front extension will have a green roof, bring planting into the public realm and result in a biodiversity net gain of 2,000%.
Subject to the necessary approvals Melburg hopes the accommodation will be open by September 2025.
Jack Burgess, Melburg’s Chief Executive commented;
“This ambitious, highly sustainable proposal seeks to provide Bristol with much needed purpose built student accommodation, and in so doing alleviate pressure on the chronically constrained housing market. We will be exploring operational optionality through our advisors Savills, are considering acquiring existing platforms and intend on growing our student housing exposure extensively as part of our wider investment into the living space”.
Melburg was advised by Savills and Burgess Okoh Saunders LLP.
View React News article here.
View Property Week article here.
View Co Star article here.