Dundee’s newest student accommodation is set to open next month and The Courier was given an exclusive look around some of its luxury rooms.
The multi-million-pound Parklands development on the city’s Brown Street boasts 163 ensuite bedrooms, which range in price from £175 to £295 per week.
Student residents will have access to an onsite gym, games room, TV lounge, roof terrace and study pods.
Despite the ongoing Dundee University crisis, the team behind the development have no concerns that the rooms will be filled.
Almost half have already been reserved – and general manager Shona Hay expects another surge next week when current students receive their exam results.
‘Traditional student experience’ in luxury surroundings
So far, the deluxe studio apartments – which offer a small kitchen and sitting area – have proved very popular.
However, younger undergraduate students keen to have a more traditional student experience are opting for one of the ‘cluster’ rooms, which share a kitchen and living room.
Parklands, operated by Homes for Students, is also adding an additional six accessible rooms after the original three quickly sold out.
Shona, former office manager at Belvoir letting agency in Dundee, said the high-specification finish of the new-build was a big selling point.
Its interiors are “Instagrammable”, which is a must for 2025, she revealed.
Why Parklands Dundee has wow factor
Shona said: “People are coming in and saying ‘wow’, which is brilliant.
“We knew the accommodation would be popular but the number of enquiries we have already had has exceeded our expectations.
“The quality of the build is amazing, the spaces are light and fresh – everything has been carefully considered.
“Students nowadays really care about their living spaces – they know how important it is to have a comfortable place to come home to after classes.
“They also want to have a room that looks good in their social media posts and ours are very Instagrammable.”
She added: “When the news first broke about the Dundee University crisis, there was a little bit of concern that it could be an issue but it hasn’t been.
“Students are still keen to come to Dundee to make the most of the high-quality education on offer and are willing to pay for high-quality accommodation.”
Mental health training to safeguard students
Shona revealed the Parklands management team have all undertaken mental health training to ensure they can provide support to any students in need.
They will also host regular events to bring occupants together, including pizza and movie nights and crafting evenings.
The development, built on the site of a former jute mill, also features a striking new mural by Dundee artists Fraser Gray and Martin McGuiness.
The giant painting of a young woman, ‘Weave’, is said to represent Dundee’s diverse student population as well as it’s rich textiles history.
Fraser, 38, a former student of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, said: “The young woman in the mural is no particular person but rather the personification of the current student population.
“The other part of the image represents the city’s spinning and weaving past, with colours pulled from nearby buildings.”
The piece, which took 10 days to paint, was designed to be both eye-catching and thought-provoking.
Conversation