Lewisham Council seeks development partner for Build to Rent scheme

The council wants to partner-up on a 50/50 deal to develop, market and manage the scheme it has planned in Besson Street, Inside Housing reports.

About two thirds of the homes would be classed as market rent – capped in line with inflation – with the remainder let at ‘living rent’ levels, set at no more than 35% of median household incomes in the borough.

If successful, there are plans to expand the venture across different sites in the borough, Inside Housing wrote.

In total, Lewisham plans to build 2,000 affordable homes over the next two years with 500 of them council homes.

Bidders must register their interest by 4 November, ahead of a formal procurement process expected to complete in April.

Damian Egan, cabinet member for housing at Lewisham Council, told the publication: “The number of people living in private rented homes has doubled in the last 10 years and now accounts for a quarter of Lewisham’s population. The Besson Street scheme will set a new benchmark for the borough’s private rental sector in terms of quality and security.”