Could housing associations become the natural exit route for SME housebuilders?

Could housing associations become the natural exit route for SME housebuilders? And are they quietly becoming the most important players in solving the UK’s housing crisis? In the latest episode of InProperty, Simon sits down with Mark Perry, Chief Executive of VIVID, to explore the changing role of housing associations, and whether the sector should be taking a much more prominent position in shaping the future of housing. They discuss the reality of shared ownership, whether consolidation between housing associations is a sustainable route to growth, and VIVID’s acquisition of Bargate Homes, including whether acquisitions of SME housebuilders could become a model adopted more widely across the country. The conversation also explores the relationship between housing associations and private developers, whether organisations such as VIVID should be building stronger public-facing brands, and why housing associations may have an even bigger role to play in tackling the UK’s housing crisis.