JLA Living to bring more investment into housing sector – Daily Business

Partners: Robin Blacklock, left, and Justin Lamb

Two property specialists have launched a business to increase Scotland’s housing supply by bringing more investors into the sector.

JLA Living brings together Justin Lamb Associates’ land, development and housebuilder expertise with Dowbrae founder Robin Blacklock’s experience in residential rental investment, housing policy and public sector engagement.

The new venture aims to widen the pool of institutional investment into the rental sector, marrying private sector investment with public sector ambition, to speed up the delivery of homes.

The business will principally focus on the residential rental sector, including urban Build to Rent, family homes for rent, affordable and intermediate housing.

It will work with investors, housebuilders, landowners, housing organisations and public bodies to bring together the investment, partnerships and support capable of increasing supply.

Mr Blacklock, managing director of JLA Living, said: “Scotland needs more homes more quickly, but delivery is being constrained by economic uncertainty, development viability and a disconnect between public and private sectors.

“There are investors with money. There are housebuilders with pipeline sites. And there are local authorities and public bodies under enormous pressure to increase housing supply. Underpinning it all is the need for more homes.

“JLA Living has been created to bring those interests together and find practical ways of realising those opportunities.

“There is rarely one simple answer. Progress often depends on understanding what investors, developers and the public sector each need. Our approach is to align those interests with a common goal of tackling Scotland’s housing emergency. 

“Our purpose is simple: we want to help deliver more homes more quickly for Scotland by connecting investment with opportunity and by bridging the public and private sectors.”

Justin Lamb Associates advises on the delivery of around 2,000 residential plots each year and has been at the forefront of the Scottish residential land market since 2009.

Mr Lamb said: “We have strong relationships throughout Scotland’s housebuilding and land markets, and there are evolving opportunities where a different source of investment or a different approach could assist and accelerate delivery.

“By combining that knowledge with Robin’s investment and public-sector experience, we can offer a much broader service and help make connections.”

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