International Students House is to develop a new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme in partnership with property development specialist HG Living at Kennington Lane, Vauxhall, London.

International Students House (ISH) is a charitable organisation dedicated to providing affordable homes and a safe community for students from around the globe since 1965. The Kennington scheme marks a significant milestone for ISH as its first brand new building in its 58-year history, on land that was purchased by the charity earlier this year.

The new energy-efficient development has been designed to achieve a ‘BREEAM Excellent’ rating. Encompassing 185 student beds, the scheme will offer shared facilities including communal kitchens and living areas, laundry room, indoor cycle parking and electric bike charging points. The ground floor will incorporate a café open to the local community, as well as back-of-office space for ISH staff to help manage and operate the building.

ISH and HG Living will partner with HG Construction as the main contractor on the scheme, a leading player in delivering high quality student accommodation schemes across the UK.

The scheme is a short walk from Vauxhall tube, bus, and railway station and close to The Oval Cricket Ground. It is also close to a large supermarket and a gym, with Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens and Kennington Park a short distance away. Construction is due to commence in early 2024 and the development is expected to complete in summer 2026.

Martin Chalker, ISH CEO, commented: “After many years of searching for a suitable building to expand the delivery of our mission of supporting university students in London, this acquisition marks a significant milestone for the House. It is the beginning of an exciting journey in a new location, where we look forward to fully integrating and engaging with the local community.”

Lord Nicholas Bourne, Chair of ISH’s Board of Trustees, stated: “This is the most exciting development for ISH in a generation. It represents a real leap forward for us all and a new chapter in the ISH story.”

Craig McPhail, HG Living Director, added: “We are delighted to be partnering with ISH to help them deliver on their mission to help young people from all backgrounds to achieve their academic goals. The new Kennington development will provide students with a very high standard of accommodation along with beautifully designed shared spaces that will enable them to connect with their fellow students and feel at home. Importantly, the scheme will be much more than simply a building, it will provide a safe space and a supportive network to enable students to thrive and succeed.

“With HG Construction as the main contractor on the scheme, we can provide ISH with a seamless end-to-end service, managing both the construction and development risk. We have already established a great working relationship with the team at ISH and we will work closely with them on a stakeholder engagement programme to ensure that the benefits of the scheme are well understood and that any local concerns are addressed. Opportunities to positively contribute to the local community will be prioritised throughout the development of the scheme.”