The firm announced this morning that it has decided to delay the developments until market conditions stabilise.

Projects delayed include the 232-bed Emily Davies scheme in Southampton, a Canterbury building refurbishment  to create 134 beds and its 153-bed St Mary’s project in Bristol.

Plymouth-based URBN Construction was understood to be in line for the redevelopment of the principal St Mary’s Hospital building in Upper Byron Place.

Empiric’s 52-bed development at New Walk in Leicester is expected to complete later this month as planned, in time for the forthcoming academic year 2020/21.

While the market had fallen, Empiric said it was beginning to see an increase in requests for self-contained studios and en-suite accommodation as a result of the current social distancing measures in place in the UK.

Earlier this month, the UK’s leading student accommodation specialist Unite announced it had delayed a 900-bed scheme near Aldgate in London and a 416-bed scheme in Bristol being delivered by contractor RG Group halted.

The decision was in preparation for a £125m expected revenue hit on student rents during the coronavirus crisis.