Construction underway at Ailon’s 203-bed PBSA development in Hendon following Gateway 2 approval

London | December 2025

Construction has commenced at Ailon's 203-bed purpose-built student accommodation scheme in Hendon, north-west London, following approval at Gateway 2 under the Building Safety Act regime. Completion is targeted for 2027.

Gateway 2 is a statutory hold point for higher-risk buildings, requiring Building Safety Regulator approval before construction can commence. Approval materially de-risks the regulatory pathway into the construction phase and provides greater programme certainty.

The scheme is located approximately 200 yards from Hendon Central Underground station and a six-minute walk from Middlesex University London’s main campus, providing direct walkable access to a major student-demand anchor. The building is targeting a BREEAM Excellent rating.

Market context

London is the UK’s largest higher-education market, with approximately 476,000 full-time students and a student-to-PBSA-bed ratio of 2.98:1. The depth of the student population, combined with constrained availability across the wider rental market, supports demand for well-located, professionally managed PBSA.

New supply remains constrained by planning, affordability requirements, construction costs and financing conditions. Ailon’s strategy focuses on well-connected locations where demand is identifiable and the pipeline of viable new supply remains structurally limited.