Tide builds a 321-bed PBSA scheme in 11 months – here’s how

This briskly built PBSA scheme celebrates its 5th birthday in 2025 after it was constructed in just 11 months by Tide Construction.

By
Bea Patel
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The Valentine PBSA development built by Tide Construction | PBSA News
The Valentine PBSA development built by Tide Construction.

Tide Construction has revealed how they built The Valentine, a 321-bedroom purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme, in under a year.

The award-winning PBSA development in the London Borough of Redbridge was built using Vision Volumetric’s advanced technology and was delivered by Tide Construction. The benefits of partnering with Vision Volumetric and Tide Construction were significant.

The scheme was able to be built in 11 months using this technology, which offered several benefits:

  • 50% faster construction – offsite volumetric manufacturing enabled rapid delivery in 11 months, reducing disruption to the local area.
  • Exceptional sustainability – the use of volumetric technology reduced embodied carbon by 4,489 tonnes – the equivalent to 52,652 car trips from London to Edinburgh.
  • Designed for the community – in close collaboration with the local authority, The Valentine meets the needs of the local area with vibrant social spaces, study areas and a focus on student wellbeing.
  • As local authorities demand more housing at scale, volumetric construction is a viable solution that can unlock constrained sites.
Image of bedroom in The Valentine PBSA | PBSA News
Image of bedroom in The Valentine PBSA.

Tide developed and built the scheme, working closely with the local planning authority and HTA Design LLP to create a building sympathetic to the local architectural character.

Designed and built in partnership with HTA Design LLP, Outpost Management Ltd and Crosstree Real Estate Partners LLP, and delivered in 11 months, The Valentine scheme celebrates its fifth birthday in 2025.

It features 269 sqm of flexible communal space, including a cinema, gaming rooms, gym, private study rooms and a large kitchen-bar area.

“Our unique vertically integrated relationship with manufacturing company Vision Volumetric gives us comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of our developments.

“We realise complex architectural designs using cutting-edge factory-based methods, deliver them on site quickly, safely and with minimal disruption.

“We work as both a developer of our own schemes and as a main contractor, deploying our volumetric expertise to realise projects.”

Statement, Tide Construction