Bulls stars tackle property careers (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bulls stars tackle property careers

9:44am Thursday 31st May 2012 in Business By Chris Holland, Business Reporter

Two Bradford Bulls stars have signed up to take on new challenges in the property market.

Full-back and centre Mike Platt will help promote Bradford’s newest student accommodation in the £7 million conversion of the former Provident Financial head office, while club captain Matt Diskin has launched his own residential letting agency.

Mike, 28, is joining his sister Jennie’s national property management company, Town and City Lettings, which specialises in student accommodation and is managing the building and letting of 190 new flats in the eight-storey Colonnade House premises on Sunbridge Road.

The building was acquired from Provident by Salford-based property developer Fresh Start Living and work has started on the conversion project, which marks the firm’s first foray across the Pennines.

Provident vacated the building in September 2010 and moved to its new head office in the £50 million Southgate development on Thornton Road, where it employs more than 700 staff.

Mike will be helping Jennie to market the deluxe en-suite apartments, which are due to be completed in time for the next academic year.

Mike, who is also an Irish international player, said: “It’s really tough for students to find somewhere decent to live at a rent they can afford which is why I wanted to get involved.

“It’s a great opportunity for me, but it also means I can give something back to Bradford which has become my home from home.

“We can take what was a building going to waste in a superb location and transform it into fantastic accommodation for students, only minutes’ walk from the university and college.”

Mike will be hosting a preview event for potential tenants next month where they can view one of the refurbished floors, which each have 24 rooms, a shared kitchen and common room.

Meanwhile, Bulls captain Matt Diskin has set up a residential letting agency covering North Leeds and Leeds city centre with property developer Nick Statman. The duo are hoping to expand the business nationally by 2014.

Cottingley-based IT firm Exa Networks is hoping to repeat last year’s success in a national industry awards for providing network connections at the University of Bradford’s green student accommodation, which opened in 2011. The firm is shortlisted at the Internet Services Providers’ Association awards, including the best business customer service award, which it won last year, as well as the managed service innovation and internet safety and security categories.