On 12 July 2023, Commercial Real Estate Partner and Head of
Forsters' Build to Rent group, Helen Streeton, attended
the BPF Build To
Rent Committee Debate at CBRE's Henrietta House.
The discussion focused on the question: "Should BTR be
allocated its own Use Class?" Below are Helen's key
takeaways:
A key issue faced by BtR developers' centres on viability,
of which quantum of affordable housing to be provided is a major
factor. There are cogent arguments for a lower delivery percentage
in the BtR sector, when combined with other tenures which provide a
discount to market product.
Traditionally, councils built housing and were funded partly by
Government subsidy. For example, in the 1950s and 1960s, the
increased development of high-rise blocks was linked to higher
subsidy for those types of developments, which seemed the ideal
solution to the housing problem in the post-war period. Right to
Buy was introduced under The Housing Act 1980 and local
