:
UK: Orka Investments has formed a joint venture with an unnamed global institutional real estate investor to acquire purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) assets across the UK.
The joint venture was launched with three off-market acquisitions comprising 1,300 beds, with 90 per cent of the income from Russell Group university locations. The acquisition was supported by a facility provided by Investec.
The acquired assets are Foundry Courtyard in Glasgow, ABeleven in Aberdeen, and Globe Works in Birmingham.
The JV plans to grow the portfolio with further acquisitions targeting standing PBSA assets in Russell Group university cities where value can be added via repositioning.
Raoul Malhotra, founder and CEO of Orka Investments, said: “This partnership underscores our ability to source off-market opportunities that combine defensive income with meaningful value creation. UK PBSA continues to demonstrate exceptional resilience, and we are proud to align with one of the world’s most respected institutional investors and secured financing from UK leading PBSA lender, Investec, as we scale our platform.”
Sebastian Walley, from Investec Real Estate, added: “We are pleased to support this joint venture between Orka and a leading global institutional real estate investor, as it establishes and scales its PBSA platform. Our financing has been structured to provide the certainty and flexibility required to execute its strategy reflecting Investec’s experience in supporting clients operating in specialist living sectors.”
The Move is Orca’s second PBSA joint venture in less than a year. In March 2025, it partnered with BGO Strategic Capital Partners to recapitalise a portfolio of two PBSA assets in the UK. The transaction established the foundation of a new PBSA platform, with plans to build a portfolio worth more than £100 million.
Highlights:
• Orka Investments has formed a joint venture with an unnamed global institutional real estate investor to acquire purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) assets across the UK
• The joint venture was launched with three off-market acquisitions comprising 1,300 beds, supported by a facility provided by Investec
• The move is Orca’s second PBSA joint venture in less than a year. In March 2025, it partnered with BGO Strategic Capital Partners to recapitalise a portfolio of two PBSA assets in the UK
