The new Build To Rent (BTR) arm of the National Residential Landlords Association has produced figures emphasising the significance of the BTR sector.
NRLA Living says BTR has delivered an average of 61% of new homes built across eight of the UK’s leading regeneration areas over the past decade, despite accounting for under 2% of national housing stock.
Its research finds that in Stratford in London and Redcliff in Bristol, BTR accounted for 87% of all homes built over the last 10 years. In Milton Keynes Central, the proportion reached 73% and Blackhorse Lane in Waltham Forest, 66%.
“The findings show clearly that BTR neighbourhoods act as ‘anchor tenants’ to regeneration schemes by placing new residents on the ground at an early stage” claims NRLA Living.
It also says BTR can be a driving force behind the emergence of mixed use neighbourhoods – a process which greatly assists local businesses, such as cafés, bars and restaurants.
The report also indicates how locations which have a higher Build to Rent presence have witnessed higher levels of population growth, saying: “BTR has been particularly successful at attracting on average five times the number of 20-39 year olds into new regeneration areas compared with other local authority areas.”
NRLA Living says it helps institutional residential investors, as well as developers and operators, to manage, grow and de-risk their portfolios.
NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle says:
“We believe that Build to Rent makes – and can continue to make – a valuable contribution to the UK’s supply of housing, alongside traditional buy to let (BTL).
“These research findings demonstrate that housing delivery can only happen at scale if the Government takes steps to ensure investment is encouraged rather than stifled.
“Crucially we believe that a thriving BTR market must complement a growing BTL sector if the UK is ever going to meet its ambitious housing objectives. Without a bold vision which attaches an equal level of importance to both sectors, the Government will simply fail to solve the UK’s housing crisis.”
This article is taken from Landlord Today