A 79-bed student apartment block above a Sainsbury’s store has been bought by an investor for £9.2 million.

Pavillion Court in St Dunstan’s Street, Canterbury, was built by Pavillion Property Group in time for the start of the academic year in 2013.

It is now owned by Empiric Student Property, which owns and runs student accommodation across the UK. It is the company’s first investment in Canterbury.

The block – which is home to people at both University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University – has one, two, three and four-bed flats and was fully occupied in for the last two academic years.

Its ground floor commercial unit has an agreement with Sainsbury’s until 2027, although its next rent review is in February.

The apartments will be rented and run by Hello Student and marketed by estate agents in the city.

Empiric Student Property chief executive Paul Hadaway said: Canterbury’s bustling, cosmopolitan atmosphere is popular with students and the city has easy access to London via rail as well as continental Europe via Eurostar.

“This acquisition is in line with Empiric’s investment criteria and returns profile.”