Savills IM's Simply Affordable Homes Fund Completes Second Acquisition

March 2025

London, 26 March 2025 – Savills Investment Management’s (“Savills IM”) Simply Affordable Homes fund ("the Fund") has made its second acquisition, with the purchase of 94 affordable rental and shared ownership homes in Bicester, Oxfordshire, from a local developer. The transaction was made through its for-profit Registered Provider, Simply Affordable Homes RP Limited.

The 94 income-producing homes are the first to be built in a diversified portfolio of 143 affordable rental and shared ownership units, and Savills IM will purchase the remaining 49 homes upon completion - expected between now and the end of the year. The energy efficient homes are built to a high specification and achieve a minimum EPC B certification.

The portfolio forms part of the award-winning Heyford Park masterplan, which includes plans to construct over 6,000 homes, 50,000 sqm of commercial space, a new railway station, school, and other key infrastructure. The major Oxfordshire regeneration project is expected to create over 3,000 new jobs and other socio-economic benefits for the local area.

Savills IM - which now manages €26.2bn2 of assets in the Living, Industrial, Debt and Natural Capital sectors across the UK, Europe and Asia-Pacific - launched its affordable homes fund in April last year, with equity commitments from institutional investors including London CIV, Better Society Capital, Schroder BSC Social Impact Trust plc, and Savills Plc.

The fund invests in and manages a diversified portfolio of affordable housing - comprising both affordable and social-rent homes, as well as shared ownership units, investing in built homes or on a forward commit basis.

UK affordable housing forms part of Savills IM’s conviction in the UK, European and Japanese Living sectors, where other funds or separately managed accounts are invested in single-family housing, multi-family build-to-rent, purpose-built student accommodation, and senior living. It manages a total of €2.9bn and c.9,000 units across these strategies.

Dominic Curtis, Fund Manager for the Simply Affordable Homes Fund, Savills IM, commented:

"This is another significant step in the Fund’s central mission, which is to address the UK's housing challenges by delivering sustainable, affordable housing through our high-quality Registered Provider. The industry recognises that public-private collaboration is essential if we are to address supply-demand imbalances that are acutely felt in the affordable market, and the role of institutional capital within this. "The transaction gives us an immediate exposure to Oxfordshire, where our strong deal sourcing network has delivered a high-quality portfolio in an attractive, growth-potential location. It allows us to provide our high-quality services to our customers from day one, further advancing our strategy of investing in properties that deliver both social impact and attractive returns for our investors."

Keith Exford, Chairman of Simply Affordable Homes RP, commented:

“Simply Affordable Homes has been set-up to help address the housing crisis by attracting long-term private investment capital into the provision of more affordable homes for those in need. Today marks another step in our evolution where we expand our geographic coverage and provide a positive impact to more customers with the provision of high-quality homes and services.”

The Simply Affordable Homes Fund operates under enhanced governance frameworks and is a responsible investment strategy. It has a 'Theory of Change' impact framework designed in conjunction with The Good Economy, focussed on social impact but including also a series of forward commitments for reducing carbon emissions over time. The fund adopted the Sustainability Impact Label under UK SDR in February of this year.

CONTACT US

Josh Carson

Montfort Communications

+44 (0) 7736 233 039

savillsim@montfort.london