Small sites will help solve the housing crisis

April 23, 2019

RenKap will deliver an online platform where housing associations and local authorities can upload their unused small sites.

Through its geovation accelerator programme, which awards grants to help Ordnance Survey and HM Land Treasury make better use of their data, the Government has announced funding for 7 property and geospatial start-ups.

This includes RenKap, an online marketplace working to alleviate the housing crisis by scaling the delivery of affordable homes.

Working alongside development professionals, RenKap will deliver an online platform where housing associations and local authorities can upload their unused small sites. Through the platform, RenKap will review, procure and manage the delivery of high-quality homes, inviting builders and off-site manufacturers to bid to deliver them.

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) welcomes RenKap’s ingenuity and motivation and believes small sites are vital in solving the housing crisis.

Local authorities, who are responsible for allocating housing sites, have been rather poor in enabling small sites and have instead focused on meeting housing need with large, often controversial, sites. They have also opposed the introduction of small sites registers, lobbied against a minimum percentage of small sites in local plans, and routinely disregarded small brownfield sites.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “Small sites are built more quickly and are already part of our communities. They are also delivered by SMEs who train around 80% of construction apprentices and employ within 15 miles of their head office. They help the industry grow and deliver more sustainable employment. We need more of them.”

Rico Wojtulewicz of the House Builders Association (HBA) said: “Local authorities have resisted many attempts to get more small sites delivered. Any opportunity to get an increased number of them through planning is a major step forward in solving the housing crisis.”

National Federation of Builders

The National Federation of Builders is a United Kingdom trade association representing the interests of small and medium-sized building contractors in England and Wales.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

Hertfordshire emerges as strongest performing London commuter county

New research from UK Property Development reveals that while London property prices fell by more than -3% in the past year, prices in some of the capital’s surrounding counties have enjoyed positive growth, none more so than the premium commuter county of Hertfordshire.   In the past year, London’s average house price has fallen by…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Second homes losing appeal among the rich

New Survey Reveals Ongoing Maintenance Is the Biggest Barrier to Second Home Ownership   62% say upkeep and hassle would stop them from buying a second home, even if money were no object   A new survey conducted by luxury co-ownership platform Equity Residences has revealed that the practical realities of owning a second home…
Read More →
Letting Agent Talk

How to build a property portfolio with buy-to-let mortgages

One of the reasons property is such a popular asset choice for investors is that you don’t need to invest all the money yourself; you can leverage funds from the bank. Here’s a very simplistic example of how borrowing via a buy-to-let (BTL) mortgage allows you to multiply your returns versus owning a property all-cash:…
Read More →
Home and Living

2026’s Fastest-Growing Bathroom Trend Is the Wet Room

“Wet rooms have become one of the standout bathroom upgrades of 2026, moving from luxury extra to everyday renovation choice as more homeowners prioritise space, style and easy cleaning. The momentum is only building as spa‑style bathrooms stay in demand.” “Wet rooms used to be a niche request,” says Ant Langston, Marketing Manager at Heat…
Read More →
Home and Living

Homebuyers could cut energy bills by £400 a year

As the energy price cap keeps rising, the latest research from Yopa reveals that buying a new-build home could save homebuyers as much as £450 a year on their energy bills. With the energy price cap forecast to increase again over the coming year, many households are preparing for further pressure on their finances as…
Read More →
Breaking News

Zoopla House Price Index Reaction

The latest index from Zoopla shows that: – First-time buyers are targeting homes worth £10,000 more than a year ago, with average prices up 4.3% to £254,750 – nearly 3x the rate of UK house price growth There are 6% fewer first time buyers in the market than this time last year, but those that…
Read More →