Student housing developer seeks funding partners for £450m portfolio

Bristol Road site

Bristol Road, Birmingham.

Fusion Group is on the hunt for funding partners for £450m of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) assets.

The PBSA developer and operator has appointed JLL to secure partners for four assets in Birmingham (622 beds), Loughborough (541 beds), Glasgow (619 beds), and Cardiff (706 beds).

Fusion’s Birmingham site on the Bristol Road and the Loughborough site on Limehurst Avenue are expected to open in 2027.

The former ‘The Trees’ public house site in Birmingham will comprise four linked blocks of 17, 10, 10 and eight storeys, arranged around a private courtyard.

JLL said there is the potential for a longer relationship with Fusion as it expands its portfolio of PBSA to 6,000 beds. 

Loughborough site

All assets are targeting BREEAM Excellent ratings and will feature state-of-the-art facilities including fitness centres, communal study spaces, social hubs, and outdoor recreational areas.

Nigel Henry, CEO of Fusion Group said: “The launch of the next phase of developments, alongside our living sector operating platform, underscores our commitment to delivering a consistent experience from development to operations. 

“With these new projects, as well as our current developments set to open in September 2025 and 2026, we are expanding our portfolio to 6,000 beds under the Fusion brand and operating platform, with an AUM exceeding £1.3 billion. Fusion emphasises design for positive living, and these latest strategic moves mean we can ensure that our communities continue to receive the same quality and attention that we put into designing and building them.”

Huw Forrest, head of UK student housing at JLL said: “We are delighted to be working with Fusion Group on this exciting new chapter in their journey and believe they will present a significant opportunity for investors to benefit from what Fusion do best; strong site selection,100% success on planning and developing highly attractive PBSA schemes that focus on the living experience. 

“The portfolio offers investors the chance to acquire premium assets in prime university locations with strong supply-demand fundamentals.

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