industry news


Plan launched to build 250,000 homes for long- term rent


action plan to build more than 250,000 extra homes built for rent. The Better Renting campaign’s letter, signed


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by 11 companies, says that Build to Rent – where companies build clusters of homes for rent – could help the Government deliver its pledge to build a million homes by 2020. The letter claims that traditional housebuilders are at full capacity and that support for corporate landlords could bring £50bn of new money into the sector. The letter asks Lewis and fellow Ministers to


set aside an agreed proportion of public land for Build to Rent development. Councils and public landowners could then generate long term rental income from buildings or land, enabling them to fund under-pressure public services. The group also calls on the chancellor George


Osborne not to apply an additional 3% stamp duty charge to professional Build to Rent developments. The group claims this charge will dampen investor appetite to build more homes. It could deter further investment which could build more than 250,000 new homes.


Recognition


Finally, the campaign’s letter calls for recognition of Discount Market Rent (DMR) homes as an accepted form of affordable housing. This would allow developers to create subsidised rental homes as part of their development commitments, following successful use of the policy in the London boroughs of Ealing, Greenwich and Brent. A nationwide recognition would deliver more affordable housing. Signatories to the letter include Grainger Plc,


Essential Living, LaSalle Investment Management, HUB, Fizzy Living, Real Star, Hermes Investment Management as well as Mishcon de Reya, a leading city law firm.


new group of developers and investors has written to the Housing Minister Brandon Lewis proposing a three-point


Martin Bellinger, chief operating officer at


Essential Living, said “Until we face up to the fact that promoting home ownership at all costs will lead us nowhere, Britain will not overcome its housing shortage. The Housing Minister has been very supportive of Build to Rent, but what’s crucial is that the Prime Minister and Chancellor recognise the contribution this could make to helping them keep their promises.” Helen Gordon, chief executive at Grainger Plc,


the country’s largest private sector landlord, said “Our vision is for a better rental market, underpinned by good value for money for our customers, supporting economic growth and housing supply. We are looking to invest hundreds of millions of pounds into new rental homes, designed specifically for renting, which we will directly manage for many years to come. It is important that the Government does all it can to allow us and companies like us to build more homes.” Other signatories highlighted positive


examples of successful private rent schemes from overseas and the huge appetite for investment, waiting to be unlocked. They also advocated build to rent as an attractive and often less risky alternative to building for sale. They forecast significant growth in interest if Government support can be found. A campaign group Better Renting for Britain


has been set up to promote and support a professional, long-term rental market, including private developers, institutional investors, housing associations and quoted companies. The organisation says it wants to positively influence Britain’s housing debate by explaining the benefits that this new type of housing can offer and by identifying any technical barriers which may discourage investment and by helping to find solutions. The campaign says it will engage openly to


try and correct any misconceptions around Build to Rent and to support moves by others to drive up standards across the housing sector which it says have to be a priority for everyone.


Events


Facilities Show 21 - 23 June, London www.facilitiesshow.com


Housing Heroes Awards 27 June, Manchester www.facilitiesshow.com


CIH Housing Conference & Exhibition 28 - 30 June, Manchester www.cihhousing.com


Procurement for Housing Live 2016 28 - 30 June, Manchester www.procurementforhousing.co.uk


National Tenant Engagement Conference 15 August, London www.capitaconferences.co.uk


RESI Conference 12 - 14 September, Newport www.resiconf.com


NHF Annual Conference & Housing Exhibition 21 - 23 September, Birmingham www.annual.housing.org.uk


NHF Development, Asset Management & Maintenance Conference 21 - 22 September in Birmingham www.developmentandasset.housing.org.uk


London Housing Summit 6 October, London www.cih.org/eventsfinder


One Big Housing Conference 2016 6 - 7 October, Llandrindod Wells www.chcymru.org.uk/en/events


RTPI Affordable Housing & Starter Homes 12 October, Melton Mowbray www.rtpi.org.uk


UK Construction Week 18 - 20 October, Birmingham www.ukconstructionweek.co.uk


Scottish Rural & Islands Housing Conference 27 - 28 October, Peebles www.sfha.co.uk


National Landlord Day 8 November, Edinburgh www.scottishlandlords.com/events


Social Housing Annual Conference 10 November, London www.socialhousing.co.uk


SHIFT Awards 24 November, London www.sustainablehomes.co.uk/shift


www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMM July 2016 | 9


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