The firm also said it has bought a site in Liverpool, and the two projects will add about 1,250 beds to its portfolio, with a combined development cost of about £80 million.

Unite is also due to start work next year on the £20m redevelopment of the listed Causewayend Primary School in Aberdeen, along with a £38m project at St Leonards in Edinburgh, which is currently a Homebase store.

Designed by Acanthus Architects df and HarrisonStevens landscape architects, the proposal will house around 400 students from the 2016/17 academic year.

Richard Simpson, managing director of property for Unite said: “This site is in an excellent central location, in a market with favourable supply/demand dynamics and in a city we expect to experience continued growth. By renovating and bringing back into use a listed building, we are pleased to contribute to the regeneration of this city centre location.”