UK: Blacklight Capital Partners is nearing completion at Limelight, a £60 million Liverpool student accommodation project.
After acquiring the former Natex scheme out of administration in July 2022, Blacklight implemented a major redesign of the original project, before continuing development of the Norton Street site in the city’s Knowledge Quarter.
Phase 1, which welcomed students from October 2023, saw the opening of Block A and 331 studio apartments and en-suite flats.
Communal spaces at the property include a 15th floor sky lounge with panoramic views of the city, privately bookable sky kitchen, dedicated gaming and karaoke room, fitness studio, state of the art gym, cinema, and expansive co-working spaces.
The final phase, which will see Block B and a further 204 rooms open to students, will be completed by the end of spring 2024. In addition to the bedrooms, residents will also benefit from a large wellbeing garden, located between the blocks, that will provide students with an external event and relaxation space, all set within a secure and gated environment.
Tom Mees, development director at Blacklight, said: “The impending opening of Phase 2 is an incredibly exciting time. This final phase will complement our existing amenities to put our residents on the best possible path whilst studying in the city. We recognise that in a student market like Liverpool, our accommodation needs to stand out and be more than just a place to stay. It needs to be a community in its own right and we want to build on that – to make Limelight a lifestyle choice for our guests.”
He added: “That is why the guest experience is at the heart of all design decisions we have made at Limelight. The external amenities and the events it will allow us to put on throughout the year are not replicated anywhere in the city and we are already in talks to host a number of music and food-based events this summer.”
Blacklight is the second PBSA asset in Liverpool delivered by Blacklight . The investment firm acquired the 999-bed Aura project on Erskine Street in 2020, completing and opening it before selling it for £110 million in September 2022.
