A former TV Dragon has brokered a £40 million deal to sell an extensive student village development to a Middle Eastern investor through his own property firm.

Hamilton Bradshaw Chief, James Caan, joined forces with one of his invested interests - 90 North Real Estate Partners - to sell the student village known as The Green which houses more than 1,000 bedrooms for university attendees.

Mr Caan, who was awarded an honorary degree from the University in December for his charity work, completed the deal with an unnamed investor, represented by Dubai-based management firm Arzan Wealth.

It is the second student housing acquisition advised by 90 North, a London-based investment firm specialising in Shari’ah compliant real estate investments.

Philip Churchill and Nicholas Judd, founding partners of the firm, have 40 years’ combined experience within the finance and real estate trade between them.

They set up a £1.2 billion Shari’ah compliant real estate fund in 2011 with Hamilton Bradshaw, before touring the Gulf to seek potential investors.

The campus was developed in 2011 by a consortium including Welbeck Land Limited and Hayaat Group.

Speaking about the deal, Nicholas Judd, founder partner of 90 North, told the Bradford Telegraph and Argus: “The Green being brand new, is one of the best student housing campuses in the UK. In an increasingly competitive educational environment, the university can offer its students award-winning accommodation at a reasonable cost.”

James Caan told the title: “With particular strength in healthcare, life sciences, management, engineering and international development, the University of Bradford has an enviable reputation for graduate employment and amongst foreign students, who contribute so much to the UK economy and its export earnings.”

Speaking about his decision to pursue Shari’ah compliant lending, he added: “When you think today that half the world’s population today is Muslim, as a businessman I see this as one of the biggest growth market opportunities that is under-exploited.”

“Potentially over the next five or ten years I can see this as being a very attractive position. I think there is an incredible increase in demand for Shari’ah-compliant opportunities and products.”