Nido launches The Sail Works in Lancaster

Lancaster, UK, March 2025 – Student accommodation specialist Nido Living has launched a new 388-bed scheme in Lancaster on behalf of joint venture partners H.I.G and Primus. 

The award-winning operator of PBSA was appointed in 2023 to help launch and operate ‘The Sail Works’ which will be opening in September 2025 and is now taking bookings.  

Nido has over 17 years’ experience designing, delivering and managing student accommodation in the UK and was involved with pioneering the first new high quality PBSA scheme of its kind in 2007. 

The Sail Works aims to set a new bar for PBSA in the area, which has two main Universities and a low supply of high-quality student accommodation.  

The vision for the scheme has been conceptualised by the award-winning Tim Groom Architects and developed by CODU in partnership with Primus, whose team has over 10 years’ experience delivering high quality student accommodation across the UK. The name of the scheme is a nod to the site’s heritage, which was previously used to make sails, supporting the nearby riverside shipyards. This history has inspired striking design features in the building.  Additionally, the scheme pays homage to the historic Ladies Walk, which once intersected the site as a promenade for recreation, now seamlessly integrated into the development’s design. 

The accommodation itself offers premium student living focused on customer experience and wellbeing, with vibrant outdoor and indoor social living areas and plenty of sustainability attributes as it has been designed with a fabric first energy strategy. Having undertaken a BREEAM and lifecycle assessment at the earliest design stages, key features were included to reduce heat loss, cold and hot water consumption, to maximise daylight and support the use of renewable technology. As such The Sail Works is a highly insulated building with low G-value glazing, efficient water consuming sanitary and shower ware, low energy MVHR ventilation, and renewable technologies including roof PV panels and air source heat pumps. 

Spaces are thoughtfully designed for students to both socialise and study in, with co-working spaces, a fully-equipped gym with Primal Strength machines, a dedicated yoga and dance studio, study and meeting rooms, a cinema room, games room, laundry room and private gardens, all designed with wellbeing in mind. Floor to ceiling windows, plentiful natural light, open spaces and neutral colours have been designed into the fabric of the building. There will also be 24/7 security and the residence will be managed by a friendly in-house team which includes dedicated housekeeping and maintenance resource, whilst facilities can be entered and services booked via the Nido app. 

All rooms have been designed with student life in mind, from the acoustic flooring to the installation of super-fast WiFi. Each studio room comes complete with a 43” SMART Ultra HD 4K TV, a fully equipped kitchenette with generous storage space, induction hob, fridge-freezer, and microwave oven, and an ensuite bathroom. With its high-quality specification and proximity to the city centre and all major universities and higher education institutions, The Sail Works is one of the most anticipated new schemes in the area, redefining student living. 

Nido is also well-renowned for offering a best-in-class student experience with an average 4.5/5 rating across Google, a 90% rebooking and referral rate, and an NPS of +41, 16pts ahead of the PBSA average. Thanks to its industry-first partnership with Dr Tara Quinn, a qualified counsellor and Psychologist, supported by a global wellbeing toolkit, and a focus on service, 98% of students believe that Nido cares about their wellbeing, something that Nido has won numerous awards for.  

Darren Gardner, COO of Nido Living said: “The UK student accommodation market continues to be undersupplied, with an acute lack of the type of professionally managed and design-oriented homes that residents demand.  Lancaster is a hugely popular student location with both the University of Cumbria and The University of Lancaster on the doorstep and other higher education institutions nearby. The Sail Works is located just 5 minutes from the city centre with excellent transport links to all of these. Lancaster’s universities also feature a high number of ‘blue light courses’ which are set to receive extra government funding over the coming years to help medical students stay in the area and rebalance the high deficit of patients to doctors. The Sail Works are well-positioned to take advantage of current and future demand. The scheme will set a new standard for student accommodation in the area with its wellbeing focus, high quality design, amenities and services and we are excited to welcome our first cohort of students to bring the community alive.” 

Duncan Melville, Director at Primus Property Group, said: “Nido is an award-winning European PBSA operator who has raised the bar in student accommodation management and experience, and we’re excited to leverage their track record and brand for our assets in Lancaster and Leeds. Early engagement with Nido in the development of the schemes has helped us integrate both technology and sustainable design in a way that delivers a positive impact for the students who will be living in our buildings. A key part of our asset management plan is to have fun, inclusive, and community-oriented spaces with a friendly and trusted team on the ground 24/7 for our student community, and we are delighted Nido represents all of this at The Sail Works.”  

To date, Nido has developed and managed over 19,000 student accommodation and coliving beds in the UK and Europe and is set to become one of the leaders in student-led accommodation.