Network Rail Property and Bloc announce strategic partnership with Citra Living

A unique partnership between blocwork, a Network Rail and bloc group joint venture, and Citra Living, has been agreed that plans to build over 2,000 new homes across Great Britain.

In the partnership, Network Rail Property (NRP) will draw potential sites from its extensive rail side property portfolio with bloc acting as developer, and Citra Living managing and operating these high quality built-to-rent homes, with an option to acquire some of the sites.

Citra Living is part of Lloyds Banking Group, who own and operate a growing portfolio of more than 2,000 professionally managed homes for rent, improving access to good value, quality, sustainable housing across the UK. Citra Living help to support investment into local communities by building and renting homes that people want, in the places they are needed.

The brownfield regeneration of underutilised railway land will further help the UK to meet its ambitious housing targets. Partnering with Citra Living will accelerate the provision of high-quality rental homes with excellent transport links in towns and cities, meeting local housing demand and creating sustainable communities. Schemes recently delivered across the Citra Living portfolio include Bristol, Chesterfield, Peterborough and Ashford.

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 serve to breathe new life into towns and cities directly next to vital transport links.”

Nick Legget, development director at blocwork, said: “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 in the latter half of 2023, we’re now extending our offering further, this time 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.”

Andy Hutchinson, CEO at Citra Living, said: “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. Our partnerships with others on similar properties show us how successful such projects can be in creating homes and amenities people want, where they want them.”