MCR buys from Unite to take PBSA platform past 9,000 beds
Embattled student landlord Unite has sold its 427-bed Snow Island asset at the University of Huddersfield for an undisclosed sum to MCR Property Group.
MCR’s Flow Student portfolio now surpasses beyond 9,000 beds nationally. It marks MCR’s debut in Huddersfield.
Snow Island sits on King’s Mill Lane, a short walk from the University of Huddersfield’s Queensgate campus. The property comprises 89 cluster flats and 427 ensuite bedrooms.
Unite has been in the headlines for having to cut rents to fill its halls after experiencing weak demand and oversupply. Disposals will help address that imbalance.
MCR acquired the property with vacant possession and will now complete a substantial refurbishment programme to bring all 427 beds back into use. Communal areas and 207 bedrooms have already been refurbished, with investment continuing across the remaining accommodation ahead of completion targeted for February 2027.
The completed scheme will operate as a single Flow Student residence, combining refurbished accommodation, professional management and resident support with the brand’s focus on providing good quality student accommodation at an affordable price point.
Nick Lake, fund director at MCR Property Group, said: “Snow Island is exactly the kind of opportunity Flow Student was built for. It gives us 427 beds on the university’s doorstep, in a market where supply has reduced, with a clear opportunity to create value through investment and better operation.
“We will complete the refurbishment properly and focus on the things that students use every day. Flow Student is an affordable brand, and we want to deliver a strong product at a sensible price.
“We also want to build a close relationship with the University of Huddersfield and make Snow Island a positive part of the wider university community.”
Dedicated student accommodation supply in Huddersfield has reduced in recent years. Storthes Hall Park, which previously accommodated around 1,300 students, has ceased operating as student accommodation, while Snow Island itself has also been closed. MCR’s market review identifies more than 13,000 students in the town against approximately 4,000 private PBSA beds.
