The committee will provide leadership for the real estate industry and its delivery of high-quality affordable housing across the UK – including shared ownership, affordable and social rent accommodation, and new homes in partnership with government bodies and housing associations.

The BPF has appointed Rob Beiley, partner, Trowers & Hamlins and Simon Century, director – Build-to-rent & Affordable Homes, Legal & General as the Committee’s chair and vice chair respectively.

The two will lead the Committee’s agenda to maximise the real estate industry’s investment in affordable housing, and ensure better understanding within central and regional governments of the opportunities that the industry can offer to expand its provision of affordable homes.

Mr Beiley has over 20 years’ experience advising housing associations, local authorities, developers and institutional investors on a broad range of housing related matters.

Century joined Legal & General in 2016 with responsibility for leading direct investments into the long-term residential rental housing sector. In 2018 he founded Legal & General’s wholly-owned affordable housing business, Legal & General Affordable Homes.

The two will focus the Committee on:

• Championing the real estate industry’s investment into a high quality – and a more diverse and sustainable – affordable housing sector in the UK and its role in supporting communities, economic growth, social wellbeing and quality of life;
• How the industry can complement the work of housing associations and local authorities in the delivery of affordable housing;
• Leading the industry’s response to the government’s affordable housing-related consultations; and
• Improving the industry’s communication to government and engagement with governmental institutions such as Homes England, the GLA and Regulator of Social Housing.

Rob Beiley said: “We have seen exponential growth in the real estate industry’s investment in affordable housing in recent years and I know that the industry has the capacity to deliver more. I am grateful to have the support of such a highly experienced committee and together we look forward to working with government to maximise the opportunities that the industry has to deliver much-needed affordable housing at scale.”

Simon Century added: “The pandemic has affected every corner of our lives and had a major impact on what we need from our homes and communities. In particular, it has brought into even sharper focus the urgent need to provide stable and affordable homes for millions of households across the country.

“As ever increasingly levels of long-term capital seek to enter, now is the perfect time to be bringing together like-minded housing associations, institutions and advisors who can work with Government to help tackle the huge supply, funding and sustainability issues the sector faces. I am delighted to be working alongside the BPF and Rob to bring this to fruition, and to help lead the way in addressing the next evolution of the sector.”

Melanie Leech, chief executive at the British Property Federation, commented: “The real estate industry’s investment plays a significant role in the provision of affordable homes in the UK, yet this is poorly understood and there remain significant opportunities to maximise our industry’s investment into this sector.

“I am delighted Rob and Simon have accepted to lead the charge for our new Affordable Housing Committee. We look forward to working with them to ensure our industry more effectively communicates with the government to unlock future growth in this sector, which will be fundamental to the Government’s ambitions to create a housing market that works for everyone.

“Everyone deserves a safe and comfortable place to call home, and while there is no silver bullet to fix the acute challenges facing the UK’s housing market, we will need every housing sector – from homes-for-sale, buy-to-let, build-to-rent to retirement living, student accommodation and affordable housing – firing on all cylinders.”