King’s College London takes Great Suffolk Street student residence

The first students will move in to the new Conran-designed development at the start of the next academic year in September. When the residence is fully occupied it will bring the student population of Great Suffolk Street to more than 900.

Moonraker Point, at the junction of Great Suffolk Street and Pocock Street, is a short distance from the college's campuses at Waterloo and Guy's Hospital.

"This agreement with King's College London demonstrates the continued demand for student accommodation in the capital," says Richard Simpson, Unite's managing director of property.

"Moonraker Point is a high quality development in the heart of the south bank, an ideal location for any student studying in London.

"Unite has been working closely with universities since we launched 21 years ago and we are proud to add King's as our newest partner.

"Our flexible operating model enables us to fit alongside universities' existing accommodation arrangements and we look forward to working with King's College London to provide their students with a home that enhances their overall student experience."

Moonraker Point was previously intended as a residence for London School of Economics students but the deal between the site's previous owners, Q Developments, and the LSE fell through.

"King's College London is very pleased to have secured additional accommodation for its students in a convenient central location; we look forward to working with Unite to ensure that our students have an excellent experience at Moonraker," says Jenny Briggs, KCL's director of student facilities.

Unite has also announced a bursary scheme for students who have lived in local authority care. Five KCL students will receive free accommodation in Moonraker Point for the duration of their studies, plus £4,000 a year towards living expenses.