Network Rail’s joint venture with the Bloc Group’ blocwork’, has agreed a partnership with Grainger plc to develop build-to-rent properties from its extensive and well-sited property portfolio.

Grainger plc has a portfolio of 10,000 rental homes and is the UK’s largest listed residential landlord. In this new partnership, Network Rail will offer potential sites for build-to-rent development by blocwork JV, and will take the schemes through the planning process.

Grainger will take an active part in the design proposals. Once planning approval has been secured, Grainger will forward fund the scheme, and will ultimately take ownership and operate the schemes after they have been completed. Because of the size of Network Rail’s property portfolio, its partnership with Grainger has the potential to build more than 2,000 new rental homes in major cities throughout the country.

The same partnership of Network Rail, Bloc Group and Grainger has recently completed The Barnum in Nottingham, which has 348 build-to-rent homes where blocwork was the developer and Grainger was the investor that funded the development and now operates it after being completed.

Network Rail’s choice of brownfield sites for development follows the completion of a number of station developments in major cities. With excellent transport connections for future residents, these sites are in line with the partners’ strategy to deliver housing that creates both long-term value and sustainable regeneration.

Helen Gordon, CEO at Grainger, said: “Having successfully delivered The Barnum, a build-to-rent scheme of 348 homes, with the Network Rail and Bloc Joint Venture ‘blocwork’, we see this as a great opportunity to collaborate further and deliver a potential 2,000 much needed high-quality rental homes across the country, aligned to our city strategy. This partnership supports Grainger’s ambitious growth plans and provides access to superbly located and well-connected sites”.

Robin Dobson, Group Property Director at Network Rail, said: “Following the success of The Barnum in Nottingham with Grainger, this partnership is the natural next step to accelerate the delivery of new homes for communities. As the largest owner of infrastructure-led brownfield land in the UK, the creation of this partnership demonstrates our continued drive to work with strategic partners to unlock opportunities to deliver well-designed and well-connected homes and regenerate towns and cities.”

Richard Thomas, Development Director of bloc, said: “The successful delivery of The Barnum in Nottingham with Network Rail and Grainger demonstrated how well this partnership works together. We look forward to continued success by working together with our partners to deliver high quality schemes and a significant number of new homes on brownfield sites across the UK.”