How Homes England is enabling investors in the housing market

COMMENT: It’s no secret that the UK needs more housing. That’s why Homes England is working with UK and international investors to help identify and encourage those who share our ambitions to build the residential communities of the future. Launched in January 2018, Homes England, the UK government’s housing accelerator, has the appetite, influence, expertise and resources to drive positive market change across England. Intervening in the market, where others can’t, to ensure more homes are built in areas of greatest need and improve affordability. We have clear priorities around delivery and are working hard to scale up our organisation to meet the government’s ambition to deliver the 300,000 homes needed each year.  With experts based in offices across the country, we are uniquely placed to deploy public money through a series of government funds as a cornerstone investor in English housing and infrastructure. There are significant opportunities in the UK market with capacity for a new range of ideas, products and investors. This includes master developers, residential build and sell opportunities and longer-term investments through build-to-rent.  It’s really important for Homes England to be at MIPIM in order to strengthen existing relationships with international partners and develop new ones. We are already working with a number of international investors to deliver innovative projects such as at Greenwich Peninsula (pictured). Homes England has injected £90m of infrastructure funding into this development by Knight Dragon, which will deliver 15,000 new homes and 13,000 jobs, redefining a whole new area of London.  Another great example of a UK-international collaboration is the £700m scheme at Middlewood Locks, Manchester – a joint venture between Leeds-based Scarborough International Properties, Metro Holdings of Singapore and Hauling Group of China. Though our funding relationship we have been able to help the JV accelerate delivery and bring a former brownfield site back into beneficial use.  Homes England and the UK government are also championing modern methods of construction that can be built up to 30% more quickly than traditional methods. Therefore, it’s no surprise that we are taking a keen interest in partners who are increasing their capacity for technology, such as using robotics in housing manufacturing and modular construction. The UK remains one of the world’s most exciting places to live and work – and UK real estate continues to be one of the world’s most investable propositions. By accelerating delivery through our own investments, products, land and expertise – Homes England can help enable investors to come into UK market and realise their ambitions.