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Don’t overlook councils’ small-scale progress partnering with the private sector
Councils, in partnership with the private and third sectors, are finding innovative solutions for housing delivery, writes Olivia Harris
Much of the media focus of late has been on large-scale ventures: the borrowing habits of councils like Spelthorne, who are investing hundreds of millions of pounds in building commercial property empires, or the continued shadow cast by the Haringey Development Vehicle saga over large-scale strategic regeneration joint venture vehicles.
What is often overlooked is the small-scale steady progress that continues to be made between local authorities and the private and third sector, in effective collaboration to deliver increased housing growth and urban renewal, alongside a lasting physical and social legacy.
A collaborative approach is increasingly the necessary norm for smaller operators who want to grow.
It creates the potential for those, such as ourselves, who adopt an innovative approach and the opportunity to solve multiple issues for the benefit of our partner, while delivering on our own charitable objectives.
Nowhere is this more so than in the heart of inner London, where such collaborative approaches often go unnoticed due to the lack of big number appeal.
Yet, in terms of social value, per square foot such projects are often more transformative than the large-scale urban regeneration schemes which tend to capture the headlines.
“A collaborative approach is increasingly the necessary norm for smaller operators who want to grow”
Within these collaborations we see innovative approaches taken, driven by the constrained or unusual nature of many of the sites, as well as the need to re-provide services and community facilities that cannot readily be transplanted due to a lack of alternative location.
Dolphin Living has two such projects under development. The first being the redevelopment of community facilities, a youth club and community centre and the provision of 73 new homes for rent, two-thirds of which will be affordable.
Here we have had the opportunity to work with Westminster City Council to deliver a greater quantity of affordable housing and, crucially, to work with them as champions of intermediate rental housing through their planning powers, as housing commissioners, through their allocations policies, benefitting from their development experience and much valued input into the development plans.
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The second example is Dolphin Living’s work in partnership with the Westbourne Park Baptist Church on the redevelopment of their church near Paddington Station. The original building included a much-loved children’s library as well as a church and other community facilities run by the church.
Having been built post war, the building was at the end of its useful life.
We were appointed due to our track record of delivery within Westminster, and because of our approach to conceiving and developing a mixed-use scheme which provides both replacement community and council facilities, alongside a 100% affordable housing offer. Westbourne Park Baptist Church delivers 33 homes for intermediate rent and has been central in creating and delivering one of Westminster City Council’s key homeownership initiatives: the innovative and award-winning Westminster Homeowners Accelerator.
For those unfamiliar with the scheme, it enables qualifying renters (who live or work within Westminster) who wish to buy and have a deposit of £22,500 saved to benefit from a three-year tenancy at 65% of market rent, enabling them to keep saving. Their ‘deposit’ will grow over the tenancy term as if it were invested alongside a 90% mortgage, at the same pace as average house prices in London.
During a three-year tenancy their savings will grow to between £44,000 and £77,000, along with their savings giving them a deposit sufficient to buy a home. These tenants are supported through the process with annual financial appraisals and advice from a mortgage provider.
The development at Westbourne Park Baptist Church will add a further 22 homes to the scheme, alongside 11 intermediate rental homes.
“Intermediate rental homes meet the housing need of those who cannot afford to rent or buy at market rates, as well as providing opportunities for those currently in social housing to access alternative homes”
So as well as providing an accelerated route to homeownership, the development also provides much needed intermediate rental housing – a tenure for which the economic and social benefits of the delivery are overwhelmingly clear.
Many of these households on modest incomes provide services to our city of greater value than their earnings reflect. Intermediate rental homes meet the housing need of those who cannot afford to rent or buy at market rates, as well as providing opportunities for those currently in social housing to access alternative homes, thus promoting churn in existing social stock.
Housing is only one component of this successful scheme. In response to the brief from the church and the city council, we are not only delivering 33 intermediate rental homes but also a (subterranean) church, a new state-of-the-art children’s library and a substantial community hall.
So while attention is perhaps focused elsewhere, local government and the housing sector continues to strive to find innovative solutions to address the multiple challenges of delivering new, affordable homes while delivering the services and facilities residents and community organisations expect and deserve.
Here, we are proud to have played a part and will continue to do so, both through the legacy of these developments and in looking forward to future, similar opportunities.
Olivia Harris, chief executive, Dolphin Living
