Work has started on a £20 million regeneration scheme that will bring new student accommodation to Southampton.

The £20 million development at 119 High Street in Southampton city centre will replace two outdated 1960s commercial buildings with high-quality student accommodation built using modular construction in three blocks, from three to six storeys high.

The site was raided by police three years ago, with officers discovering almost £4 million worth on cannabis plants inside the building.

Located in the Old Town Quarter, within a conservation area and close to several listed, historic buildings, developers say the project has been sensitively designed to enhance the cityscape.

Winchester-based developer Stelling Properties received planning permission was given the go-ahead in May 2024.

This latest scheme follows Stelling’s multi-award-winning Bargate House, which regenerated and transformed a derelict, fire-damaged site on the High Street.

As with Bargate House, the new student complex at 119 High Street will be operated by leading student living provider, Unilife.

It will feature a mix of one- and two-bed studios of varying sizes, including some apartment clusters with communal kitchens and will help to meet demand from the growing student population in Southampton. 

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José Ignacio Alvarez, Founder and Executive Chair of Stelling Properties, said: “This project is a major milestone for Stelling Properties.

“It will be our largest modular student development to date and our most sustainable, being close to net zero and targeting a BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) excellent rating.

“Our use of advanced offsite manufacturing technology allows us to fully fit out and furnish each studio in our Hampshire factory. This will radically reduce the build programme and disruption during construction.”

Demolition works have just started on site and preparation is now underway for archaeological excavations.

The development will welcome its first students in September 2026 for the start of the new academic year.

The high-specification private living spaces will be complemented by extensive shared amenities to encourage social interaction and enhance the student experience.

These will include a gym, study areas, lounge spaces, gourmet dining room, karaoke room, meeting hub with coffee station, individual meeting rooms, games room, and laundry.

The exterior of the scheme has been sensitively designed to suit its context, with light stone-effect cladding and red brickwork, and in keeping with the surrounding historic and listed buildings.

Richard Powell, COO of Unilife, added: “The design of 119 High Street has been shaped by extensive feedback and collaboration with our student community, ensuring we continue to meet evolving expectations for privacy, comfort, and social integration.”