By Ali Lyon Investment in the UK’s purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) sector soared to £1.7bn during the first half of the year, according to BNP Paribas, in yet another sign of the real estate class’s eye-popping growth. The figure represents a massive 245 per cent increase on the amount of capital that went into the sector in the same period last year. The second quarter – when £1.3bn was ploughed into the sector – saw particularly blockbuster growth; a 256 per cent year-on-year increase. Rebecca Shafran, alternatives markets research at BNP Paribas Real Estate, said: “Student accomm…