Affordable Housing
In the midst of a UK housing crisis, the delivery of all types of new homes is top of the political agenda. But particularly critical is the delivery of safe, accessible and affordable housing schemes. We support housebuilders, local authorities, registered providers and investors to deliver viable affordable housing schemes that enhance lives and communities.
Affordable housing specialists
Affordable housing should deliver the types of homes that people want and need. Creating truly liveable affordable homes and communities for the future requires brilliant but economic design, embracing sustainability and energy efficiency and making placemaking a priority. Advising on affordable housing, social rented housing, shared ownership and intermediate homes, we provide commercially focused and pragmatic solutions that create shared value for all.
Delivering affordable housing development
We work as project partners across all aspects of the delivery of new build homes (traditional and modern methods of construction) to provide our clients with budget and programme certainty. Our services cover initial site planning appraisal and the preparation, submission and negotiation of planning applications (in line with Section 106 affordable housing obligations) through to environmental, design, engineering and project and cost management services.
Asset management
Future-proofing the sustainable supply of high-quality homes at an affordable cost to residents and providers demands commitment to manage, maintain and invest in property assets. Managing large residential portfolios in the face of evolving legislation requires significant investment and can create challenges around the prioritisation and logistical delivery of upgrades, retrofitting and refurbishment. We partner with clients to take the complexity out of asset management.
Decarbonising the UK's housing stock
It’s been estimated that 80% of the buildings we will have in 2050 have already been built. With the deadline for achieving net zero carbon edging closer and public scrutiny mounting, decarbonising existing housing stock is one of the biggest challenges facing social and affordable landlords.
Facing the need for significant investment with a large-scale and complex retrofitting programme, it can be hard to know where to begin. We’re here to help you tackle that complexity, prioritise investment and identify solutions to meet Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) targets by 2030 and net zero carbon by 2050.
Building Safety Act compliance
The Building Safety Act (BSA) 2022 is the most significant change to building safety in decades.
The BSA applies to occupied, high-rise residential buildings. It requires that risk management measures must be taken to address potential building safety risks and reduce the severity of any incident, should it occur.
The Building Safety Regulator, a new construct within the HSE, will start to call in buildings for assessment from April 2024. With a requirement to respond within 28 days, this means each building should have a building safety regime in place by this time. Compliance is achieved through the development of a Building Safety Case and a Building Safety Case Report.
Our in-house multi-disciplinary experts deliver robust Safety Cases for buildings or portfolios.
Affordable housing viability assessment
An Affordable Housing Viability Assessment (AHVA) is an appraisal of the costs, values, and profitability anticipated with delivering a proposed development. Explore the fundamentals and key considerations.
Solving the UK's housing crisis
In recognition of our deep expertise in the residential sector, RPS has been invited to join the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Housing Market & Housing Delivery on the advisory board. The Group has been formed by MPs across all parties who believe in the importance of prioritising the delivery of new build homes.
Solving the UK’s housing crisis is a very complex challenge. While the crisis can’t be fixed by any single organisation or group, the APPG brings together a range of organisations committed to achieving this vision. We’re proud to be working with other leading experts in the industry to help solve the biggest challenge faced by the housing sector today.