Build to Rent development in London is over double than in the rest of the UK, according to new figures.

Data collected by the British Property Foundation (BPF) shows that over 14,726 units are either in planning, are completed or under construction, compared with 7,112 units for the rest of the UK.

At least 3,404 units are completed London, while only 240 are completed throughout the rest of the country.

The BPF has now published a manifesto for the sector, urging the government to follow the example of the Greater London Authority (GLA) and change national planning policy.

The GLA's policy on planning is that the appropriate affordable housing on new Build to Rent development should be discounted to market rent.

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The BPF says this helps development viability, also allowing the investor to manage the 'affordable' and 'market-rented' elements as one.

It added research has shown the Build to Rent sector can deliver homes as 2.5 times the speed of developments for sale, with £10bn of firm commitments and a total of £30bn ready to invest this Parliament.

Melanie Leech, Chief Executive of the BPF, said: "It has felt for a long time that Build to Rent has been on the cusp of becoming a sector in its own right. Today, we are proud to show that the sector has really taken off, and it is great to see how many fantastic projects are either underway or completed, and that residents have quality rented homes.

"There is more that can be done to encourage the sector to grow, however. The GLA has paved the way for Build to Rent, introducing both ambitious targets and supplementary planning guidance, and the map launched today shows that this has really paid off. Government has everything to gain from encouraging this sector, which will attract significant institutional investment into UK housing supply, deliver new homes quickly, and drive up standards in the private rented sector, and we hope to see it continue to support it."

(LM/MH)