In brief: Aviva hails dual benefits of social housing investment

Aviva Investors is seeing greater demand for social housing investments that can 'create positive social outcomes whilst also capturing financial returns'.

Aviva Investors has completed a deal to provide £72.5 million ($84 million; €83.9 million) to a housing trust in Macclesfield in the UK, the firm said in August. Social landlord Peaks & Plains Housing Trust manages more than 5,000 homes in the region. The investment was a private placement made on behalf of both internal and external client mandates, a spokesperson told New Private Markets.

“As we continue to build our external client base, there has been a material uptick in the number of those who recognise the power of their investments to do good and create positive social outcomes whilst also capturing financial returns,” said Munawer Shafi, head of structured and private debt at Aviva Investors, in a statement.

“The ability of social housing to provide solid cashflows whilst having a positive impact beyond our business and into communities makes it a compelling sector for us to increase our exposure to and to continue our support of.”