How council development companies can help the economy get back on its feet

Westminster Builds is wholly owned and fully funded by the council, which means we can safely manage a higher-risk situation and are able to step in when a private developer feels unable to. This happened at Luton Street in Westminster, when we were able to save a stalled scheme.

It also means we can be flexible to the needs of the market at that point in time. For example, if units are not selling then we can put them on the affordable rental market until the market recovers.

This can only help the industry, which accounts for 7% of GDP and 9% of its workforce. We saw what happened in 2008 when the construction industry collapsed and impacted the supply chains, so we must all work together to ensure that doesn’t happen again.

“With the city streets quiet, we must see the pandemic as an opportunity to speed up plans for more schemes like this in order to make Westminster a more family-friendly environment where people want to live”

In Westminster, long before coronavirus, the city council had embarked on a once-in-a-generation estate regeneration programme alongside an imaginative infill programme. Most planning, consultation and construction has continued throughout this year and the council remains confident of delivery.

Incredible work is taking place around Church Street to regenerate the area, build new homes for our local population and connect the residents of this wonderful area in the heart of London with all of the opportunities of living in central London.

The regeneration of the Ebury Bridge Estate in Pimlico also continues at pace, with plans expected to double the existing number of units in this highly sustainable development.

But with the city streets quiet, we must see the pandemic as an opportunity to speed up plans for more schemes like this in order to make Westminster a more family-friendly environment where people want to live. This means being imaginative and reimagining our great city – creating pocket parks and building multi-use attractive places.

Over the coming months we will be working closely with our expert development team to identify how our homes, already designed with flexible spaces to meet varying needs, can be fit for the future.

“With additional funding from central government, we could significantly supercharge our existing housing programme and explore some new and exciting initiatives”

The pandemic has also prompted us to refresh our thinking, and Westminster Builds is in active conversations with prospective partners to act as developer in London’s growth corridors, enabling host councils to keep their own development programmes on track.

The host council will retain the Section 106 housing while Westminster Builds would take on the risk of market housing at this time and provide homes for those who wish to commute, possibly part time, to their jobs in the city. Not only will this support London’s construction industry, but we will make sure we bring with us the city council’s ethos of creating high-quality buildings and placemaking.

Public-public partnership can and should be a viable alternative to public-private partnership at this time, and I call on central government and the Greater London Authority to give us the financial backing required to help lead the country out of recession. With additional funding from central government, we could significantly supercharge our existing housing programme and explore some new and exciting initiatives.

Now is the time to back the unique strengths of council-owned development companies and in return those companies must think outside the box and be imaginative in how they support the reopening of the capital.

Barbara Brownlee, managing director, Westminster Builds