In October Tamsyn Manson, a theatre arts student, will collect her keys to a studio apartment in King’s Cross, London. Stylish and minimalist, with a fitness centre, internet café and shops, the Nido Student Living block into which she plans to move will be a far cry from past student digs, smelling of cooked cabbage or disinfectant.

Indeed, the penthouse floor of Nido King’s Cross could well appeal to any upwardly mobile City worker with the odd million to invest. It is one of many developments springing up across England for the better-off, who seek a “smarter student living”.

Although the Government is pressing for half of 18-to-30 year-olds to attend university, 100,000 freshers could not find a place in halls in 2005.

Now, however, students can choose from a range of options: halls; digs; flat-shares; upmarket private accommodation; and, if they are lucky enough, some are given a student abode by their parents. Last year a survey of second homes showed that 83,000 had been bought by parents for their children.

The student website, accommodationforstudents.com, notes that rent accounts for 40 per cent of a student’s weekly expenses. London is the most expensive UK city in which to rent, with average weekly rents rising to £102.33, against a national figure of £60.58. Cities such as Oxford, Cambridge and St Andrews are also pricey.

Nido Student Living, with charges of £165 to £230 a week for the biggest 20sq m rooms, is costlier than most.

Nido hopes to provide 1,045 student flats in its two-block development that is nearing completion in King’s Cross. Six hundred will be self-contained with a small kitchen, shower and WC. The remaining 445 will be twin-bed rooms with en suite facilities.

Manson, who starts college in October, will pay about £800 a month for one of the bigger rooms.

“I found Nido on the internet. I like the idea of living in a purpose-built student community, especially as this is my first year at uni,” she says.

“Instead of sharing a flat with people I don’t know I will be self-contained but there will be plenty of opportunities to get to know people through social events.”

Nido will have 24-hour security and resident wardens, whose job it will be to get to know the students and run their social events. Each student will have internet access in his or her room and even an online laundry service.

Residents will come from any one of the 40 Central London universities and colleges, some of which have block-booked rooms.

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