According to Knight Frank’s latest analysis the number of Hong Kong students studying in both London and across the UK as a whole has hit the highest level on record.
Over the last five years, there has been a 37% increase in the number of students from Hong Kong studying at London’s universities. In 2012/13 there were just 2,728 full time students, however this has grown to 3,733 for the 2017/18 academic year.
Knight Frank’s study into the latest applicant data also highlights a rise in students hoping to attend universities in the UK for the 2019/20 academic year, which starts in September. This increase was driven by a record number of applicants from outside of the UK, which climbed 5.7% on 2018 levels.
Mathew Bowen, Partner, Knight Frank Research, says, “International student numbers increased in spite of the heightened level of political uncertainty surrounding Brexit, highlighting the ongoing global appeal of UK higher education. Overall, nearly a fifth (19.2%) of all applicants for September 2019 courses were from outside the UK.
In London, there are 297,570 full-time students studying, yet just 90,291 purpose built student bedrooms. As a result, just 30% of students in the capital are able to access this accommodation.
London residential developers have experienced consistent demand from students and investors from Asia looking to purchase a new home in close proximity to London’s universities, which also has the potential to offer positive returns in the long term.
About Brentford:
https://www.ballymoregroup.com/project/detail/the-brentford-project
London’s latest development, which is in walking distance of The University of West London, is The Brentford Project. This new riverside development will open up a previously overlooked stretch of the Thames and offer high specification apartments in easy reach of Arden University, Brunel University and Imperial College London. Ballymore, the developer behind the ambitious project, is set to transform the 4.79-hectare site with 876 new homes, complemented by a unique retail, leisure and community offering. The project will establish a new town centre for Brentford, reconnecting the High Street with the waterfront and extending the Thameside river path.
The first collection of homes comprises a range of studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, each with contemporary, open plan layouts and floor-to-ceiling windows which frame the panoramic views across the water and the skyline beyond.
A centre for business and creativity
Residents of Brentford are ideally placed for connectivity across the capital, as well internationally. Trains from Brentford railway station take just 20 minutes to Clapham Junction and 28 minutes into London Waterloo, while the Piccadilly line from nearby Boston Manor Underground station puts local residents in Leicester Square in 32 minutes. For international travel, Heathrow Airport is just 25 minutes by road.
John Mulryan, Group Managing Director at Ballymore, comments: “With its fascinating urban, rural and industrial heritage, the launch of The Brentford Project marks the first exciting step in realising our vision for Brentford as a revitalised waterside destination for West London.
“The project will bring fresh energy to the area in a way that honours and builds its historic past - as well as its abundance of creativity and culture – reinstating the lost connections between the high street and the waterfront. With a revitalised town centre, The Brentford Project will revive this well-connected pocket of London to create a place not just for people to live, but also to experience and enjoy.”
Rupert Dawes, Head of Residential Development and Investment at Knight Frank, says, Education has long been a major driver for investment into the UK’s housing market. With a host of world-renowned educational institutions, London in particular, offers one of the best higher education systems anywhere globally.
“We continue to see strong demand from parents and students looking for a new home in the capital to live in whilst studying, at the same time offering investors’ potential returns in the long term. The Brentford Project is perfectly positioned for students, not only because of its location but also the onsite amenity space for studying and relaxing with friends.”
Prices at The Brentford Project start from £369,500. Apartment sizes ranging from 431 to 1,346 sq ft.
Hong Kong Exhibition Details:
Date: 7 and 8 September 2019 (Saturday and Sunday)
Time: 11am to 7pm
Venue: Statue Square & Alexandra Room, 2/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong