UNITE in .12m Bed Scheme

Unite Group PLC
5 September 2001

Date:                  5 September 2001

Embargoed until:       0700hrs



UNITE Brings Number of Student Beds in Sheffield to 1,203 with £12 million
Scheme



The UNITE Group plc, the UK's leading specialist provider of student and NHS
key worker accommodation services, today announced that it has secured a
further 438 beds for students in Sheffield.



The new accommodation will be delivered for the start of the 2002 academic
year and, on completion, the scheme will be valued at approximately £12
million.



UNITE will completely redevelop the Exchange Works property in Arundel Street,
Sheffield, to create an architecturally striking building comprising 438
en-suite rooms for students.  It will bring UNITE's total complement of
secured beds in Sheffield to 1,203.



In addition, UNITE was recently announced as sole Preferred Bidder for a PPP
pathfinder project for student accommodation services for 5,500 beds for the
University of Sheffield.



Commenting on the new scheme Nicholas Porter, Chief Executive of UNITE, said:



'Bringing quality, value-for-money, service driven accommodation to our
student customers is our key focus.  We are delighted that we will be able to
offer further choice in Sheffield through the delivery of this exciting new
438 bedroom city centre scheme.'



UNITE is currently partnering, or has been appointed Preferred Bidder by 23
Higher Education Institutions and own 70 properties in 17 cities across the
UK.



Press Enquiries to:



Nicholas Porter, Chief Executive                     Tel:   [phone]
The UNITE Group plc



Emma Kane                                            Tel:  [phone]
Redleaf Communications                               Mob:  [phone]



About UNITE

*       UNITE was founded in 1991 by Nicholas Porter.

*       UNITE is the UK's leading specialist provider of accommodation
        services for students and NHS key workers.

*       Further information is available at the Company's website at
        www.unite-group.co.uk

*       www.bunk.com is a comprehensive, on-line accommodation service for
        university students.

*       In June UNITE was awarded the PriceWaterhouseCoopers trophy for West
        of England Business of the Year 2001

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