Investec provides Barwood with £19.25m development loan for Birmingham PBSA scheme

Investec Bank plc, a leading international bank and wealth manager, today announces that its Corporate Real Estate team has provided Barwood with a £19.25 million senior development loan to finance the development and stabilisation of a 233-bed purpose-built student accommodation (“PBSA”) scheme in Edgbaston, Birmingham.

The 36-month facility supports Barwood, a new-to-bank client, in delivering a village-style student campus on the former St Chad’s Hospital site, originally constructed in 1808. The scheme will retain and refurbish two Grade II listed buildings, alongside the construction of three new buildings, creating a high-quality PBSA offering in one of the UK’s leading university cities.

Located in Edgbaston, the development benefits from strong underlying market fundamentals, with Birmingham a Russell Group city home to three major universities and a large, growing student population. The scheme is targeting delivery ahead of the 2026/27 academic year.

The loan has been structured to provide flexibility around the accelerated construction and delivery programme, supporting Barwood through the development phase and into stabilisation. The transaction also reflects Investec’s experience in funding complex assets, including schemes involving listed buildings, and its ability to tailor capital solutions to meet specific client requirements.