Mount’s £45m Natex tops out

The developer’s construction arm has reached the highest point on its 574-unit student accommodation scheme on Norton Street in Liverpool.

Mount Property Group bought the site, previously home to the National Express bus station, from developer Anwyl in 2018 and set about redeveloping it into two blocks of 10- and 16-storeys.

Before the sale to Mount, Natex was to be Anwyl’s first student housing project in Liverpool. The North Wales-based contractor and housebuilder gained planning permission for the site in November 2016.

Designed by architect Falconer Chester Hall, the scheme features 493 cluster units and 81 studio flats.

The development, due to complete in July in time for the 2021/22 academic year, will feature private study rooms, social spaces, a gym, laundry rooms and landscaped gardens.

In December 2019, Mount secured a £12m loan from Asian-backed lender Prime Secured for the project.

Michael Chrysokhou, managing director of Mount, said: “While a challenge, the past year has proven how resilient both the construction and student markets are, so we look forward to entering the final stages of completion and opening the doors to our student customers for the next academic year.”

Barton PM, part of Barton Services Group is the project manager for the scheme. Barton is also working for Mount on a 124-apartment scheme in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter called Innovo House.