How can authorities deliver housing that meets the needs of their community through build to rent?

Purpose-built rental accommodation, often known as build to rent, has seen huge growth across the country in recent years, accounting for an increasingly large share of the private rented sector. For local planning authorities, this has required applying new skills and knowledge, as well as adapting both planning policy and development management procedures.

At its best, build to rent can offer authorities a way to grow their housing supply, bringing purpose-built accommodation, security of tenure and more consistent management quality to their communities, at the same time as generating long-term income streams. However, the sector’s distinct economic models pose challenges to councils, as well as risks to successfully providing a suitable housing mix to serve their communities.

This Event Record documents learnings from a roundtable held in November 2020, convened by Elizabeth Rapoport as part of a year-long placement as Strategy Delivery Manager at London Borough of Enfield (October 2019 - September 2020). It reflects on the key issues authorities should consider when considering direct delivery of purpose-built rental homes, outlining recommendations that may act as a starting point for decision making.