BPF - Growth of Build-to-Rent sector in the regions begins to outpace London

17 Jan 2022

Growth of Build-to-Rent sector in the regions begins to outpace London

Build-to-rent

New analysis shows construction of Build-to-Rent homes in the regions grew 27% in 2021
Regional growth underlines critical role Build-to-Rent housing in ‘levelling up’

Analysis published today by the British Property Federation (BPF) shows that the Build-to-Rent (BTR) sector pipeline grew by 8% in 2021, with construction in regional cities significantly outpacing London.

The quarterly research, which is undertaken in partnership with Savills, highlights that there are now 70,785 completed BTR units in the UK, a 26% increase year-on-year, with a further 141,215 under construction or at the planning stage, up from 131,190 in 2020.

At Q4 2021 there were 26,820 units under construction across regional cities, marking a 27% increase year-on-year. Over the course of 2021 construction commenced on 13,527 units across regional cities, over three times the total number in London.

London and regional Build-to-Rent growth

Ian Fletcher, Director of Real Estate Policy, British Property Federation comments:

“The Build-to-Rent sector continues to expand rapidly and in 2021 we started to see signs that delivery across the regions is beginning to outpace London.

“Build-to-Rent is not just about increasing housing provision it is a major economic driver, helping attract and retain skilled workers and serving as a catalyst for urban regeneration. The strong growth of the Build-to-Rent sector across the regions will support the Government’s levelling up initiative and help revitalise town and city centres.”

Jacqui Daly, Director, Residential Research, Savills added:

“The geographic spread of Build-to-Rent shows that many more local authorities are beginning to understand the need for new rental stock and planning consents are rising as a consequence.

“At the same time, the Build-to-Rent is becoming hugely competitive for investors, with a record level of capital deployed in the sector in 2021. If investors are able to find markets and stock to invest in, we expect delivery in the sector to double in size within a few years.”