UK: Citra Living and blocwork, a JV between Network Rail and bloc group, have announced a strategic partnership to develop more than 2,000 homes.
Network Rail Property (NRP) will draw on potential sites from its rail-side property portfolio, with bloc acting as developer and Citra operating the BTR homes.
The group plans to develop more than 2,000 family homes across the UK, targeting city centre brownfield areas.
The partnership said the brownfield regeneration of the under-utilised railway land will help combat the national shortage of high-quality rental homes.
Robin Dobson, group property director at Network Rail, said: “This partnership, aimed at family living, is another key collaboration for NRP that will help us tangibly address the current housing crisis with thousands of new homes for families. These developments will also breathe new life into towns and cities directly next to vital transport links.”
Blocwork development director Nick Legget added: “The partnership between Citra Living and blocwork will see some 2,000 much needed high-quality rental homes delivered to city centre brownfield areas. Having launched our first build to rent [schemes] in the latter half of 2023, we’re now extending our offering further, providing high-quality homes for families. I’m excited to see how far the partnership between our organisations takes us in the years to come.”
Citra Living chief executive Andy Hutchinson added: “This is an exciting new partnership for Citra. It not only creates thousands of much needed new, quality family homes, it will also regenerate several disused sites.”
In November 2023, blocwork announced a similar joint venture with Grainger to develop 2,000 BTR homes.
