UK: Sama Investment Group, a Birmingham-based developer and investor, has had plans for 130 student beds at the edge of Coventry city centre approved by councillors.
The development, known as Charter House, will see an industrial site on Charterhouse Road transformed to deliver a new student accommodation scheme across four- and six-storey buildings. It is accompanied by a range of amenities including study areas, lounges, and a gym.
Outdoor courtyard space and garden areas overlooking Sherbourne River are also included in the proposals, with the aim of maximising the student experience and wellbeing, within a natural environment.
Charter House has been designed with sustainability at its heart, incorporating renewable energy technologies throughout the scheme. As a result, the project is targeting an ‘Excellent’ rating by BREEAM, the internationally recognised certification which assesses a building’s specification, design, construction and use for its impact on the environment.
The site had been identified as a strategic location to benefit from student-led regeneration and investment. Located a five-minute walk away from Coventry University campus, the plans will contribute to the growing demand for high-quality student accommodation in the city.
Bilal Ahmed, executive chairman and founder at Sama Investments, said: “We’re delighted to be granted planning approval for Charter House. As a brownfield site close to Coventry University, this is a fantastic opportunity to deliver a high-quality student accommodation scheme which will add real value to the city, supporting our growing educational institutions and meeting the increasing demand for student beds.
“Importantly, it will also help unlock existing family housing elsewhere in the city rather than force students to rely on HMOs and the private rented sector.
“Part of a wider transition within the area, these proposals are highly sustainable and seek to make best use of the site for the benefit of the whole community – driving local growth and creating jobs. We look forward to engaging with interested groups who can take this exciting opportunity forward at the site,” added Ahmed.
Sama Investment Group claims to be the UK’s first regionally focused Shariah-compliant real estate development and investment company, specialising in developing real estate across untapped regions in the United Kingdom to create long-lasting value for investors and communities. Sama is the Arabic word for ‘sky’, representing the aspiration for all its stakeholders and reflecting a belief in building better for living, sustainability, communities, families – and better for business and employment.
