Why Leicester is a leading student property investment location
Located in the East Midlands, Leicester’s population is growing faster than the national average, and it has also emerged as a nationally significant university hub.
The city is also home to three extremely highly regarded universities, which bring tens of thousands of students from all over the world to Leicester.
The deep pool of talent fuels economic and cultural growth – but it has also caused a shortage of residential and student accommodation. This is a city on the rise that is an ideal opportunity for property investors.
Leicester's Economy
Leicester and the wider Leicestershire region are home to a large economy worth approximately £24.5bn according to the local Enterprise Partnership. That is powered by more than 42,000 businesses supporting 538,000 jobs. By 2030, the Partnership wants this to grow to £30.2bn and 568,000 jobs. That growth will be centred on the city of Leicester.
This ambition rests on a number of factors, including improved transport links, global R&D expertise, entrepreneurial expertise and excellence in high-value, modern sectors. Indeed, the region is now home to several UK and world-leading centres of new technology and innovation in space and Earth observation, sports science, life sciences, IT and cyber technologies, and automotive engineering.
All of that is based on strong foundations provided by the three universities close to the city and Leicester’s status as a national logistics hub. This is a location where it makes sense to do business. Household names including Walkers, Triumph, Everards, Dunelm, IBM and Santander are testament to Leicester’s attractiveness.
Leicester's Regeneration
Leicester is following the same path as other industrial cities as it transforms for the 21st century. A determination to evolve, led by the Council and private enterprises, is changing the face of Leicester and delivering a range of impressive projects, including:
A £7.5m plan to turn Leicester’s defunct market into a joint events and retail space is underway. Plans include new seating, planting and lighting to create a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. A new covered market will follow and turn the space into a modern, food-focussed commercial and social space.
Leicester Waterside is a plan to turn a 150-acre disused industrial site into a key asset for the new city centre. Funded with an initial £20m – with a further £80m to come – Waterside will deliver 5,574 sqm of new commercial space, a 252-bed hotel and 350 homes.
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