Turning funding into delivery: the £39bn SAHP challenge for registered providers and developers
As part of its commitment to drive the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, the Government has launched its £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) to help deliver 1.5 million new homes over the course of the current Parliament.
Following confirmation from Homes England and the Government of the 33 strategic partners that will help deliver the ten-year programme, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced the first funding allocations. The first wave of funding, worth nearly £10bn, is expected to support the construction of more than 70,000 new homes across England, with around 60% expected to be available for social rent.
For registered providers and developers, the funding announcement provides greater certainty over future investment and development opportunities. However, as attention turns from funding commitments to project delivery, organisations will need to balance ambitious housing targets with effective programme management, robust governance and long-term asset performance.
Hardeep Kooner, director at Gateley Built Environment – one of the UK’s largest multidisciplinary technical consultancies providing expertise across the full property lifecycle – highlights that while the SAHP presents significant opportunities, it also introduces new challenges.
He explains: “The SAHP presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to increase the supply of social and affordable housing and, equally importantly, provides funding certainty for the sector. This means that strategic partners are now able to plan over a decade, moving beyond a focus on individual schemes and instead establishing long-term development pipelines capable of delivering housing at scale.
“However, while funding certainty provides a strong foundation, successful delivery will ultimately depend on effective programme management, robust governance, quality assurance and long-term asset stewardship to manage cost, quality, compliance and long-term performance. Strategic partners that establish these foundations early will be best placed to maximise the benefits of the programme and help deliver the homes communities need.”
You can read Hardeep’s full commentary here.
