Sirona reveals plans to bring more student beds to Perth

Sirona Urban is planning to add 1,200 student beds to Perth and Fremantle, following its purchase of a development site in Kings Square and a revision of its Fremantle project. 

The Perth-based developer is set to acquire 18 to 28 Telethon Avenue in Perth from Seven Group Holdings subsidiary Seven Entertainment for an undisclosed sum. 

Sirona has revealed that it intends to build an 800-bed student accommodation tower on the 3,334 square metre Kings Sqaure site. 

It has also revised its plans for its Point Street project in Fremantle, from 215 apartments to a 392-bed purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) project. 

These moves follow the developer’s recent completion of its $150 million, 736-bed, 30-storey student accommodation project on Wellington Street in Perth. 

Sirona Urban managing director Matthew McNeilly said the two new projects would help fill a growing need for more student beds in Western Australia. 

“Perth is facing a shortage of purpose-built student accommodation, with current supply meeting less than 10 per cent of demand according to recent Urbis data,” he said. 

“These projects in the Perth CBD and Fremantle enable us to smoothly transition from our recently completed UniLodge Perth Central … to development our second and third premium student accommodation facilities.” 

Mr McNeilly added that the Perth project would contribute to the $5.2 billion Perth City Link development, designed to connect Northbridge with the CBD.  

Sirona Urban’s plans for Perth City Link. Image: MJA Studio 

He added that the site’s location made it ideal for both student accommodation and built-to-rent projects.

“[It] provides excellent connectivity to the new ECU city campus and the Perth Busport … and its on the doorstop of RAC Arena and the city’s entertainment areas, making it ideal for build-to-rent residential options,” he said. 

The Telethon Avenue site had in 2015 been approved for a twin tower 48 and 42-storey project comprising 563 apartments. 

The property, known as KS6, was brought to market in early 2023. 

Property Council of Australia research shows that Perth has the lowest ratio of PBSA beds to international student numbers of the major Australian cities. 

Mr McNeilly added that each international student added about $43,000 annually to the state’s economy. 

Sirona Urban also has a long history in Fremantle, and was behind the $270 million FOMO office and retail precinct in Walyalup Koort. 

It received approval to build a $100 million apartment project at 8 Point Street in Fremantle in late 2023, after SKS Group’s plans to build a hotel on the site fell through. 

Sirona plans to bring 392 student beds to Point Street in Fremantle. Image: MJA Studio

Mr McNeilly said he made the call to amend the proposal in light of changing demand. 

“We have reimagined our original plans for our Point Street site to address the shortage of purpose-built student accommodation and to introduce the first modern, at scale, quality PBSA facility in Fremantle,” he said. 

Its Fremantle project, estimated to cost $55 million to build, will include shared desks, fitness facilities, a cinema and communal entertainment spaces among other amenities.

MJA Studio designed both the projects, with development applications set to be lodged next week. 

The proposals come as Edith Cowan University’s Perth city campus approaches completion, with 10,000 staff and students expected to come to Perth from early next year. 

ECU’s Perth campus has led to a significant uplift in the volume of student beds developers are looking to bring to the state, with more than 6,000 student beds in the pipeline.