It often feels like small developers are constantly fighting an uphill battle. Everyone, from the government down, understands that the UK is facing a housing crisis—one that affects us all, making property unaffordable for the vast majority of people.
That said, it’s far from ‘easy’ for small to medium-sized (SME) developers to build housing and tackle this ever-growing problem. The system, from planning to funding, needs improvement before we can make a real impact on the country’s housing shortage.
This article explores the current state of the UK housing market and outlines what needs to change to make a positive difference.
The Developers Club (TDC) was founded in 2022 by brothers Shiro (35) and Shaunak (30) Rauniar of SATIS Group, an award-winning development company based in Manchester. SATIS Group focuses on commercial-to-residential conversions and office developments. The third partner is Tex Jones (35), a London-based property developer and leader of Impact Capital Partners, specialising in purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) schemes. Together, they share a vision of uniting some of the UK’s most ambitious and passionate SME property developers under the age of 40.
Our primary goal is to contribute to the delivery of new homes and address the housing shortage through the ingenuity and drive of the next generation of SME developers.
Through shared experiences, we have formed a network that learns, inspires, collaborates, and celebrates as we work towards delivering 10,000 new homes across the UK by 2030. TDC stands as a beacon of opportunity for those eager to make their mark in property development.
Our membership is split across three tiers:
The Academy: This caters to property professionals and investors with at least two years of industry experience or two investment properties, offering a 24-month online development programme to assist members in achieving their first development project.
The Executive: The Executive consists of developers that have delivered at least £1 million GDV (Gross Development Value) in completed new homes, aiming to scale their operations to deliver 10–30 units annually.
The Board: This tier is for developers with over £10 million in completed GDV developments, focused on expanding their business to deliver 50+ units per year.
TDC is more than a ‘network’. It’s a community for ambitious developers where we share challenges, leverage each other’s skill sets and help one another to grow— all while making a difference in the UK’s housing shortage.
Club StatisticsTracking the progress of our goal to deliver 10,000 new homes by 2030 is essential. The results make us proud of what our members have achieved in the UK and Ireland so far:
Homes Delivered: 4,800Gross Development Value (GDV) Delivered: £1.1bn
Homes In Delivery: 2,883GDV In Delivery: £1bn
Homes In Pipeline: 4,937GDV Pipeline: £1.2bn
Average Member Age: 33
PlanningObtaining planning permission in the UK is not without challenges. It has become more complicated and expensive, especially for smaller developers due to layers of regulation and delays.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), along with local and regional policies, can be a maze of conflicting rules and guidance, which often leads to confusion and misinterpretation by planning officers and developers alike.
Additional regulations like Building Control and Selective Licensing Schemes add to the complexity, as they sometimes contradict the national framework. SME developers must also deal with large quantities of poorly written legal documents, making it hard to understand what is required for compliance.
Over time, the planning department has become responsible for solving a range of social and environmental issues, from affordability to biodiversity, which places a heavy burden on smaller developers. These growing demands increase costs, delay projects, and create significant challenges for developers trying to deliver housing efficiently.
The Financial Strain of The Planning ProcessThe planning process is full of financial challenges and delays. Developers must go through multiple stages, each with significant costs for reports, design work, surveys, and advice, often paid for through initial directors' capital or loans with no guarantee of success or refunds.
Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) often miss their decision deadlines, leaving developers uncertain and under immense financial strain, with no penalties imposed on authorities for these delays or missing their statutory deadlines.
This uncertainty is made worse by the subjective nature of the planning system. Small policy issues or aesthetic disagreements can lead to refusals. Planning officers often struggle to balance sustainable development with conflicting opinions from councillors, stakeholders, and the community, sometimes focusing on unrealistic ideals instead of practical and timely solutions. These challenges increase financial risks and delays for SME developers, slowing down the delivery of housing projects across the country.
What does this mean for the future of planning?To address the challenges faced by SME developers in the UK planning process, the club has proposed several solutions up for discussion within our Manifesto.
Simplifying and streamlining policies could reduce complexity, while regional planning or combined authorities might create more consistency across areas. Strengthening the pre-app process by making decisions binding and allowing for faster approvals where details can come later may improve efficiency. Encouraging the use of Planning Performance Agreements (PPA) and clearly distinguishing between different types of permissions could help, especially with well-trained case officers. Emphasising the importance of consultation periods and setting higher housing targets are also being suggested.
To speed up LPA decisions, introducing incentives, agreements, and updated Local Plans with accountability could help. Making aesthetic evaluations more objective, perhaps through pre-approved style guides, and better training for planning officers on how to assess the pros and cons of developments can help reduce uncertainties.
FundingSME developers & housebuilders face significant hurdles when it comes to funding development sites, primarily due to the stringent lending criteria and limited access to affordable financing options.
Traditional banks often see these smaller projects and inexperienced developers as high-risk, making them less willing to offer loans or demanding high-interest rates, low gearing, and substantial collateral. As a result, SME developers turn to alternative financing options like private investors or crowdfunding, which can be unpredictable and unreliable.
The long planning process adds to the financial strain, as delays increase carrying costs and interest payments on borrowed funds. Economic factors, such as rising construction costs and shifts in housing demand, make profit margins uncertain.
Combined with the need to meet changing regulations and sustainability requirements, SME housebuilders often find themselves stuck in a cycle of financial and operational challenges that make it difficult to invest in and develop new projects efficiently.
SME Developers SidelinedGovernment initiatives, like the Homes England funding scheme, are meant to help SME developers, but their strict conditions and red tape often put off smaller developers.
These programs tend to focus on larger projects, which align with their goals, leaving micro-developers working on smaller projects behind.
The complicated application processes and need for a lot of paperwork can be too much for SMEs without the resources to handle them. These initiatives also favour large-scale projects with big economic impact, sidelining the smaller, yet important, work of micro-developers.
This lack of support creates a funding gap, which can limit innovation and adaptability among SME developers, preventing them from meeting local housing needs.
To help SME developers access government funding, TDC has proposed several solutions. First, the government could create funding schemes specifically designed for the needs of SME developers. These schemes should have simpler application processes with less paperwork and fewer compliance requirements, recognising that smaller developers often have limited administrative resources.
Additionally, creating tiered funding categories based on project size and impact could ensure micro-developers aren’t overlooked in favour of larger projects, giving them fair access to support.
Another idea is to introduce advisory services and workshops to help SME developers through the application process and understand compliance. By offering mentorship and consultations with experienced developers or financial experts, SMEs would be better prepared to meet criteria and manage their projects.
As we look to the future of our industry, I invite you to join us on our journey at The Developers Club. If you're an aspiring developer or experienced housebuilder under 40 (when applying), there's a place for you in our vibrant community.
To apply, email us at info@thedevelopersclub.co.uk or visit our website at
We look forward to welcoming you and working together to shape the future of real estate.
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