THE new student accommodation in Walmgate marks a £60 million investment by Student Castle as it looks to create its biggest UK site here in York.

The private university accommodation specialist is creating 648 rooms, made up of cluster flats, studio suites and twin rooms, all of which come complete with en-suite bathrooms and smart TVs.

The project has created hundreds of construction jobs, and will lead to 20 on site management jobs once the accommodation welcomes its first tenants.

Student Castle, which was founded in 2010 and has sites in Bristol, Cardiff, London, Manchester and Newcastle, says it is working to create the "ultimate university experience" for students, with the new York site featuring its own gym and common rooms, with ultra-fast broadband running throughout the building and SKY TV packages available in every room.

Jacqui Hawthorn, chief operating officer at Student Castle said: "Where you live has a huge impact on your life as a student, and we’re in the perfect place to make sure your time at university is unforgettable for all the right reasons.

"We’re doing everything we can to change people’s perception of private university accommodation.

"We know what actually matters to students, so we take care of all the little things so you can concentrate on getting the most out of your university experience.

"The secret to our success is putting just as much time and effort into the relationship we have with our students as we do into looking after our properties. Our rooms are designed in a fresh, clean style that takes into account what students really need. We’ve even made the beds bigger.

"York is the most fantastic city, with great universities. It's a wonderful location which lends itself well to the portfolio of what we have developed elsewhere."

The York site is open to all students from first year to post grad.

The cluster flats feature between four and six private bedrooms with shared kitchen and living space, while the studios come in varying sizes, and the twin rooms offering an option for close friends to share a room.

While the site is being constructed Student Castle's marketing suite features an Occulus Rift virtual tour what the accommodation will look like.

The construction is being carried out by York-based William Anelay Ltd, together with Vinci Construction UK Ltd who worked with CSP Architects of York, M&E specialists Martin Design Associates and structural engineers Ward Cole.