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BBRC expands Homes division to help tackle South West’s housing crisis
The award-winning impact investor Bristol & Bath Regional Capital (BBRC) has today, Monday 20th February 2023, announced an equity investment from Zamo Capital, a specialist impact investor.
The investment will expand the activities of BBRC’s Homes division, aiming to finance 1,500 quality, new homes for key workers in the West of England by 2028.
The investment in BBRC’s Homes division will help the firm build on the success of their 161 mixed-tenancy Elderberry Walk deal – a development celebrated by the World Economic Forum for its approach to bringing quality, relevant and affordable housing for key workers and low-income residents.
The UK is experiencing a national housing crisis. Prices have been rising faster than salaries over many decades. In England and Wales, the median home in 2021 was 9x the median salary, up from less than 4x in 1997[1].
In the South West this crisis is intensely felt, with median house prices in 2021 at 10x median salaries. Outside of London, workers typically use 31% of their gross earnings for rent, in the South West this is 36% and in Bristol it is 42%[2].
Ed Rowberry, chief executive of BBRC, said:
“We are delighted to have not just the investment from Zamo Capital, but also the hands-on advice and counsel from some of the smartest and most experienced impact investors in the market.”
Jim Roth, founder and managing partner of Zamo Capital, said:
“What’s impressed me about the BBRC team is their genuine commitment to impact, alongside deep local knowledge and networks which they have leveraged to generate and execute on commercially attractive real estate deals.”
The deals done by BBRC’s Homes division have created key worker housing close to employment hubs, such as hospitals, universities, and schools. These properties have been built with a strong focus on quality and energy efficiency and have been managed to the silver standard or above of the Bristol Ethical Lettings Charter.
The Zamo Capital investment is made on behalf of its client, Big Society Capital Ltd.
For media enquiries regarding Bristol & Bath Regional Capital, please contact:
Catherine Frankpitt /Caitlin Bowring, Strike Communications
[email protected] / [email protected]
t. 0117 905 881 / 07786 910362
For media enquiries regarding Zamo Capital, please contact:
Eddie Livingstone-Learmonth, Camarco
t. 07900 121 128
Bristol & Bath Regional Capital CIC
Bristol & Bath Regional Capital is the West of England’s first home-grown, place-based impact investor and is focused on unlocking funding and support for purposeful businesses, charities, housing and social enterprise.
Its place-making approach means that investment is channelled into the region’s economy, bringing social, economic and environmental benefits, which it believes creates a healthier and more resilient local economy.
See BBRC website for more details and their latest impact report here.
Zamo Capital
Founded by Jim Roth, the former founder of multi-billion impact manager Leapfrog, and led by a high-profile board and senior team of experienced impact investors, GPs and LPs; Zamo Capital deploys capital into and alongside rapidly scaling impact managers to support them as they grow.
See Zamo Capital website for more details.
[1] Office of National Statistics
[2] Office of National Statistics
