The Arches provides an exceptional opportunity to fund a prime purpose-built student accommodation scheme in a prestigious university town with extremely limited supply.
330
Student Beds
Summer 2026
Delivery
Summer
2026
Delivery
6 mins
Walk to University of Surrey Campus
The scheme will provide 330 beds comprising 236 en-suite clusters and 94 studios with outstanding internal and external amenity provision with the potential to enhance internal amenity provision to provide 2.69 sqm per student.
The scheme occupies an extremely convenient location just 6 minutes' walk from The University of Surrey main campus and within close proximity to Guildford College, and Italia Conti's Academy of Theatre Arts.
Guildford has a strong student demand, with 15,240 full-time students (2021/22) including 3,830 international students (25%).
The University of Surrey has seen a 25% increase in student numbers since 2012/13. The University plans to double student numbers in the next 20 years.
The scheme will be developed by Watkin Jones, the UK's leading developer and operator of residential for rent. Watkin Jones have un-rivalled track record having delivered in excess of 52,000 PBSA beds since 1999.
Watkin Jones are targeting BREEAM Excellent and EPC B across the fully-electric scheme, with hot water heated by air source heat pumps and electric radiators.
Watkin Jones achieved planning consent for the scheme in January 2023 (Ref:21/P/00956).
The title is held Freehold.
The unique courtyard design of The Arches allows a flow between indoor and dedicated private outdoor amenity, with the potential to enhance internal amenity provision to provide 2.69 sqm per student.
Blended Amenity
The Arches is located in the strongest location in Guildford for student accommodation, a short 6 minute walk to the University of Surrey Campus, a 10 minute walk to Guildford train station, and just under 15 minutes walk to the town centre and all the amenities on offer. The micro location is also home to a cluster of other student residences, so students will always be close to their friends.
Unrivalled Location
The Arches will provide 330 beds comprising a diverse ranges of rooms types across 236 en-suite clusters and 94 studio rooms, with sizes ranging from 13 sqm to 25 sqm.
Diverse Product
THE ASSET
SPECIFICATION
Watkin Jones aims to integrate resource efficient materials and products into their developments as well as maximising low carbon opportunities, through innovation. This includes using low energy options such as LED lighting and energy efficient cooling and heating systems.
SUSTAINABILITY
The Arches will incorporate air source heat pumps to provide hot water, with electric radiator heating.
The Arches is targeting an EPC rating of B in line with the specification of the scheme.
The Arches will be delivered to BREEAM Excellent for both the residential and commercial elements.
FLOORPLANS
LOCATION
The Arches is excellently located adjacent to The University of Surrey’s campus (just a 6-minute walk), 12 minutes’ north of Guildford Railway Station and 15-minutes from Guildford City Centre. Residents studying at ACM can walk to the academy in under 13 minutes’ with Italia Conti’s Arts Centre 25 minutes away by bus.
Residents are within easy walking distance of a number of key amenities including local supermarkets (Lidl, Tesco Express, and
Waitrose), cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and clubs (including Coffee Culture, Canopy Coffee, Wagamama’s, The Ivy, Coppa Club,
Giggling Squid, Turtle Bay, All Bar One, The White House, PopWorld, and Labryrinth).
Guildford is also easily accessible by car, with the A3 providing direct links to London, Portsmouth, and the M25 (Junction 10).
Guildford is situated approximately 30 miles south-west of Central London, accessible every 15-minutes from London Waterloo in just 33 minutes via South Western Railway.
Located between Heathrow (22 miles north), and Gatwick (25 miles south-east), Guildford is particularly well situated for international students.
The University of Surrey is one of the UK’s leading professional, scientific and technological universities, with a world-class profile and a leading reputation in teaching and research, ranked 13th in the UK (Complete University Guide).
THE MARKET
There is robust demand in Guildford for high-quality student accommodation. The current stock of new PBSA property is fully-let, with the small number of build to rent (BTR) beds available to students all let within a week of launch.
The long-term pipeline of consented accommodation is tremendously limited, with relatively few suitable sites in the town remaining and significant local resistance towards further
planning consents being awarded.
LIMITED SUPPLY OF ACCOMMODATION
99.7%
OCCUPANCY FOR COMPARABLE PBSA IN 23/24
ONLY 17 BTR UNITS
IN THE CURRENT BTR STOCK CAN BE LET TO STUDENTS
WITH ZERO FUTURE UNITS
IN THE BTR PIPELINE
ONLY 345 PBSA BEDS
IN THE CONSENTED PIPELINE
+25%
Increase in the numbers of students attending the University of Surrey since 2012/13
+10%
Increase in applications for entry on to 2023 taught courses from the previous year
26%
Of students are from overseas (2021/22)
STRONG STUDENT DEMAND
14,285 STUDENTS
2021/22 HESA NUMBERS
APPROX 16,000 STUDENTS
IN 2023/24 ACCORDING TO UNIVERSITY OF SURREY SOURCES
8% INCREASE
ON PREVIOUS YEAR
25%
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
The University of Surrey is one of the UK's leading professional, scientific and technological universities, with a world-class profile and a leading reputation in teaching and research.
With a strong cash position, land holdings and equity investments in successful ‘spin out businesses’, the University of Surrey’s financial position is comparable to Russell Group universities and significantly de-risks investment in local PBSA.
FINANCIAL STRENGTH
£32,832
CASH RESERVES PER STUDENT
BETTER THAN
54%
OF RUSSELL GROUP UNIVERSITIES
RANKED
21ST IN THE UK
(TIMES GOOD UNIVERSITY GUIDE)
THE DEVELOPER
WATKIN JONES OVERVIEW
Listed on the Alternative Investment Market in 2016, Watkin Jones is a fully integrated real estate company offering expertise in development and construction, alongside a market leading operational management business (Fresh).
Watkin Jones has built c.52,000 rooms across 154 PBSA schemes and c.5,000 homes across 20 BTR schemes since 1999.
Watkin Jones have demonstrated a strong investment track record comprising £2.3BN of PBSA GDV and 80 PBSA transactions comprising c.30,000 beds. Watkin Jones’ funding partners include Legal & General, Unite Students, M&G, and KKR.
Fresh. is an integral part of the Watkin Jones Group, managing properties across the student, build to rent, and co-living sectors. Fresh have supported The Arches business plan and can be instructed as operational manager subject to agreement.
16,940
UNITS UNDER MANAGEMENT
55
OPERATIONAL SCHEMES
£2.67BN
ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT
28
OPERATIONAL CITIES
32
NATIONAL AWARDS WON
