About

Accessible and cost-efficient analysis of social housing development projects

The BCC Tool captures both direct financial impacts to government and wider economic impacts such as health benefits, energy efficiency, employment-related benefits, distributional and other impacts.

This can unlock funding opportunities, with benefits fully quantified and compared to the costs of government investment / financial support.

Benefit-Cost Ratios, Net Present Values and other key metrics are calculated through the tool.

Provided via subscription with accompanying technical expert support

Users populate the Excel-based tool with scheme specifications, details of proposed residents plus other location-specific supporting data.

A series of spreadsheets capture the different types of economic impact, with complete transparency of all calculations as well as links to relevant external sources.

The expert team provide direct assistance / support with set-up of projects, as well as review / validation of results.

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Use case examples

Scenario: A housing association wishes to construct new homes on a brownfield site.

Problem: The land is liable to flooding, requiring costly drainage and improvement works by the local authority to make the project viable.

What the housing promoter needs: calculation of economic benefits the new homes will deliver to justify local authority investment in the improvement works.

What the BCC Tool provides: full quantification of economic impacts and how these compare to the public sector costs via a transparent set of calculations.

Scenario: A local authority is bidding for central government funding to regenerate a high street. A housing association proposes adding social housing to the scheme masterplan design.

Problem: Reconfiguration of design to accommodate social housing plots increases scheme costs.

What the housing promoter needs: Evidence of the additional benefits the social housing will deliver, relative to the extra costs.

What the BCC Tool provides: Economic benefits of social housing fully captured and compared to the additional costs via transparent set of calculations → these can be easily aligned and integrated into the wider regeneration bid.

Scenario: An NHS Trust plans to sell a plot of derelict land. A housing association is proposing a new social housing development on the site.

Problem: A commercial developer who will deliver the minimum mandated 30% social housing offers a significantly higher price for the land.

What the housing association needs: Evidence of how its social housing proposal compares in holistic economic terms to the commercial developer’s proposal.

What the BCC Tool provides: holistic comparison of social housing versus other development options, capturing both direct financial aspects and wider economic impacts.

Scenario: A housing association wishes to expand an existing community centre with new sporting & cultural facilities.

Problem: Costs exceed available budgets. The housing association needs to apply for local authority funding.

What the housing association needs: Evidence of how new facilities will deliver wider benefits to the community.

What the BCC Tool provides: The tool can quantify wider financial and economic impacts relating to increased sporting, social and cultural participation resulting from the new facilities, relative to the additional costs.

Types of impact included

– Direct financial impact to public sector (costs minus revenues)

– Housing cost savings for local authority

– Health benefits from reduced housing hazards

– Health & amenity benefits from improved community facilities

– Energy efficiency benefits

– Crime reduction benefits

– Land value uplift

– Employment-related benefits

– Distributional impacts