Multinational construction consultancy firm, Linesight, has launched a report on the Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) sector in Ireland. The report is an analysis of the supply/demand, pricing, costs and international design trends in the sector and captures feedback from 16 interviewees with the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and the private sector involved in PBSA.

July 2017 saw the announcement of the Irish Government’s National Student Accommodation Strategy, responding to and recognising the need to address the national and international demand for student housing. Demand for PBSA is forecasted to rise from 57,075 beds in 2017 to 75,640 beds in 2024, making the student accommodation sector highly attractive to the investment, development and education communities alike.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) reports that HEIs and private developers are estimated to make a total gross investment of approximately €1 billion over the period from 2017-2024 in PBSA.

Throughout Linesight’s research report, collaboration was earmarked as a key opportunity for the sector, with both the public and private sectors keen to engage and share knowledge in a more meaningful and formal way.

Linesight has been monitoring this sector closely over the past two years and embarked on this research exercise to engage both private and public organisations to elicit their views, opinions and perspectives. The enthusiasm for the process of cross public/private engagement and the production of this report has been palpable, with specific interest in ensuring that there is follow-up post publication. Ultimately, the outlook for PBSA in Ireland looks promising. Linesight hosted a private symposium recently in the Westbury Hotel in Dublin to share the findings of the report and facilitate dialogue with all of the research participants.