Walker Morris advises Unite Group on £40.7 million Hawthorne House disposal
6th November 2026
Walker Morris has advised Unite Group, the UK’s leading owner, manager and developer of student accommodation, on the £40.7 million sale of the sixth form facility occupied by the London Academy of Excellence at its newly completed Hawthorne House development in Stratford, London.
The sale forms part of Unite Group’s disposal strategy, which includes releasing value from non-PBSA assets. Unite will retain ownership of the 719-bed student accommodation element of Hawthorne House, which was fully let for the 2026/27 academic year and is supported by a long-term nomination agreement with the University of the Arts London covering more than half of the beds.
Walker Morris advised Unite Group on all aspects of the transaction. The multidisciplinary team was led by Real Estate Partner Will Cousins, supported by Emma Garside (Senior Associate, Real Estate), Tom Peel (Partner, Construction & Engineering), Michael Cordeaux (Senior Associate, Regulatory & Compliance), Victoria Bramham (Associate, Construction & Engineering), Josh Kitson (Partner, Planning & Infrastructure Consents), Ellis Cleland (Associate, Planning & Environment), Nicola Parkinson (Partner, Tax) and Natalie Grey (Senior Associate, Tax).
Commenting on the transaction, Will Cousins said: “It has been a pleasure to work with Unite Group on this disposal. Having worked closely with the team since the property’s acquisition in 2022, it’s rewarding to see Hawthorne House reach this important milestone.
“The sale supports Unite’s continued focus on capital discipline and recycling capital from non-PBSA assets, while retaining the student accommodation at the heart of the development.
“It is also a great example of our longstanding relationship with Unite and the breadth of expertise we’re able to bring together to support the team on significant transactions of this kind.”
The transaction further strengthens Walker Morris’ track record advising on major real estate investment and development projects across the UK.
