Affordable housing

We aim to accelerate the delivery of high-quality, genuinely affordable homes working in partnership with Housing Associations and Local Authorities.

We work with Housing Associations to help alleviate these pressures by providing long-term, patient capital to the sector, funding the delivery and long-term ownership of new homes. We are the owner of a Registered Provider (RP) of Social Housing, in which has regulatory oversight enabling us to draw on grant funding to support the delivery of new homes.

Building homes, creating communities

Affordable housing is more than just bricks and mortar – it’s about changing lives and building strong, thriving communities.

At Great Haddon in Peterborough, over 5,000 homes are planned, including energy-efficient, spacious, affordable homes for families in need. These homes are not only safe and secure but also cost-effective to run, giving residents extra financial breathing room.

Watch the video to learn more about the journey to create affordable, high-quality housing that makes a real difference.

Our investment

Accelerating the delivery of genuinely affordable, quality homes by providing a structure that Housing Associations can trust

Reducing fuel poverty using Octopus’s unique energy expertise

Delivering affordable housing for older people

Supporting levelling-up across England with a novel co-investment structure

Read our press release

Our Team

Jack Burnham

Head of Affordable Housing

Jack joined Octopus in 2022, having spent over 15 years in real estate, specialising in affordable housing. Jack was previously Executive Director for Growth and Investment at one of the country’s fastest growing affordable housing providers, and previously lead partnerships divisions for several large housebuilders. He is a member of the CISI and is an RICS Registered Valuer.

Peter Merchant

Investment Director

Peter joined Octopus Real Estate in August 2021 having spent the previous four years with a joint venture partner of Octopus. Peter is responsible for originating and executing affordable housing developments and has over 20 years’ affordable housing experience. He is also an independent non-executive director for a small housing association, Buckinghamshire Housing Association.

Elizabeth Austerberry

Chair of Registered Housing Provider

Elizabeth is Chair of NewArch Homes (Octopus Affordable Housing’s for-profit Registered Provider) and is a Non-Executive director at NHBC. Prior to this, she worked as the CEO of Moat Housing, a major housing association covering London and the South East, and as a Board Member of the National Housing Federation. Elizabeth has a wealth of experience from across the affordable housing sector as well as from various senior roles across real estate banking and finance.