Colin Culross is commercial director of Link Group and managing director of C~urb
On becoming Scotland’s largest developing housing association
Inside Housing’s annual survey on housing association development found that Link is Scotland’s biggest builder. Colin Culross explains how the landlord has managed to become a leading developer in only a few years
Our increased development output might seem sudden – Link only entered the top 50 in 2021, and is now building the most in Scotland. But it’s been part of our longer-term strategy to increase our new-homes output. Several larger master-planned schemes contributed to the 1,040 properties we completed, alongside our mainstream projects and some COVID-delayed homes.
“Some developers are indicating they are withdrawing from constructing affordable homes to refocus their efforts on the private sale market to offset cost increases, but Link’s framework is well-served by constructors who have built their business around affordable supply”
The Scottish government’s commitment to building more homes and its financial support remain key drivers for Link developing an increasing number of new affordable homes. We aim to deliver 3,000 homes in the next five years, contributing to the Housing to 2040 strategy. Across this period, our output will fluctuate each year.
These are ambitious numbers and, without a doubt, we are operating in extremely challenging times. However, Link has many advantages to overcome these.
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Firstly, I think we have the best people. The latest partner within the Link group of companies, C~urb (pronounced curb), launched in April to deliver a wide range of property development, maintenance and management services. Our C~urb property development team has been instrumental in managing a complex programme through the current challenging circumstances facing the sector. Our managers, development officers, clerk of works and supporting admin staff have all been instrumental in delivering this success.
It’s also been about successful partnership working. Link has established relationships with design teams and contractors that have collaborated effectively to minimise the impact of delays. Some of this we’ve achieved by assisting the contractors with specification changes to mitigate their supply delays.
We’re not out of the woods yet. Going forward, supply and labour shortages remain, along with rising inflationary costs. Construction cost increases will need time to bottom out, which will continue to affect programme delivery.
We believe we can mitigate these by using the same measures implemented to date, alongside a collaborative partnership approach and by closely monitoring the programme. While some developers are indicating they are withdrawing from constructing affordable homes to refocus their efforts on the private sale market to offset cost increases, Link’s framework is well-served by constructors who have built their business around affordable supply and appear better placed to cope with construction-cost volatility.
“In our Dunbeg development, our masterplan cast a multi-tenure development, which will provide Oban with a range of housing options to help reverse population decline in an area where housing affordability and choice were significant factors in people being able to stay”
The importance of the government in Link hitting numbers bigger than any other Scottish social landlord can be aligned with our local authority partners, which have been instrumental in increasing the provision of social housing. Link’s own strategy continues to mirror a 70:30 programme of social:mid-market rent and New Supply Shared Equity (NSSE), with a minimum target of 10% wheelchair-accessible homes. (Link has managed the NSSE affordable homeowner scheme since 2006.)
We believe mixed communities are an essential part of ensuring sustainability and creating places where people really want to live. Our programme outputs reflect these figures: 1,941 social rent, 578 mid-market rent, 207 NSSE. C~urb also provides agency services to other social landlords, delivering a further 197 social rented homes for our partners.
It is a fine balance to achieve financial viability. Subsidy, private finance and local housing allowances which determine rents all play an important role in the development make-up. In some locations, market drivers dictate a greater focus on our mid-market rent product. For others, where the local housing allowance isn’t as strong, we use NSSE to diversify the tenure and help create a balanced community.
“Creating sustainable communities is more than a strapline for us”
Diversity isn’t just about tenure, of course. We aim to ensure our larger developments provide housing options that promote intergenerational neighbourhoods, offering our retirement-living housing options of social mid-market rent and NSSE alongside our general-needs homes.
In our Dunbeg development, our masterplan cast a multi-tenure development, which will provide Oban with a range of housing options to help reverse population decline in an area where housing affordability and choice were significant factors in people being able to stay.
Creating sustainable communities is more than a strapline for us. It’s a fundamental aim to ensure we address an immediate housing need. This is transformative. Diversity provides people with a better chance to sustain a positive community legacy, fulfil their potential and take pride in their neighbourhood.
Our latest award-winning development at Riverside Dalmarnock is a great example of placemaking and providing the foundation for a positive legacy for the community who want to live there.
Colin Culross, commercial director, Link; and managing director, C~urb
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