Ward Hadaway supporter blog – Mayoral Development Corporations – why the sudden surge in popularity?

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Between 2012 and 2025, just six Mayoral Development Corporations were created – but it is expected that in 2026 at least the same number will be established by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. In this article, Ward Hadaway’s Public Funding Partner Alexander Rose provides answers to frequently asked questions about Mayoral Development Corporations, summarises some of the lessons that arose from Ward Hadaway’s recent webinar on this subject and explains why there is about to be a surge in the number of Mayoral Development Corporations created.

What is a Mayoral Development Corporation?

A Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) is a vehicle for the regeneration of an identified site (the Mayoral Development Area) which can be established through a process set out in secondary legislation and involving the Secretary of State.   The MDC is a body corporate and can take on property as well as powers to drive forward the regeneration of the area, including the ability to act as the planning authority, to build infrastructure and to deliver development (directly or through partners).

How are Mayoral Development Corporations established?

The process to establish a Mayoral Development Corporation involves the designation of a ‘Mayoral Development Area’ by a Metro Mayor (leading a Mayoral Combined Authority or a Mayoral Combined County Authority) following consultation with prescribed stakeholders and a notice to this effect being submitted to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.  This will lead to an order being created to establish the Mayoral Development Corporation, which is laid in Parliament and specifies the powers and functions of the new organisation.

What powers do Mayoral Development Corporations have?

Mayoral Development Corporations have a wide range of powers including the ability to take on planning responsibilities, acquire property, undertake direct development and offer financial assistance such as grants and business rates relief.

What lessons can we learn from existing Mayoral Development Corporations?

In November 2025, Ward Hadaway hosted a webinar bringing together experts with valuable experience of working either within or alongside existing Mayoral Development Corporations.

Bev Bearne, the Chief Operating Officer for the Hartlepool and Middlesbrough Development Corporations, underlined the importance of having clear roles and responsibilities, as well as the benefits of building close working relationships with local stakeholders.

Stuart Howie, Principal and Devolution Delivery Lead at Avison Young, explained that ‘one size does not fit all’ and emphasised the importance of identifying at the outset, the role that the Mayoral Development Corporation is expected to play in local growth plans and how it is anticipated that the organisation will intervene within the market.

Ian Freshwater, Programme Manager (Major Projects) at the North East Combined Authority provided an overview of the North East Combined Authority’s recent decision to establish a Mayoral Development Zone spanning sites in both Newcastle and Gateshead, providing insight into the evidence base that will be built up ahead of a decision being made as to whether to establish a Mayoral Development Corporation.

The recording of the webinar can be downloaded here.

 

Which Mayoral Combined Authorities are setting up Mayoral Development Corporations?

There are six existing Mayoral Development Corporations, these are:

  • London Legacy Development Corporation (established 9 March 2012);
  • Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (established 1 April 2015);
  • South Tees Development Corporation (established 1 August 2017);
  • Hartlepool Development Corporation (established 27 February 2023);
  • Middlesbrough Development Corporation (established 27 February 2023); and
  • Stockport Town Centre West Mayoral Development Corporation (established 2 September 2019).

Current plans for new Mayoral Development Corporations include:

  • in December 2025, Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotherham announced plans to create Liverpool’s first Mayoral Development Corporation unlocking regeneration across 174 hectares of mainly brownfield land, stretching up from Everton’s Hill Dickinson stadium into the city’s Pumpfields and commercial business districts. It is expected that the MDC will bring in the investment to create 17,500 new housing units and 5 million square foot of additional commercial space;
  • in September 2025, West Midlands Mayor, Richard Parker and Birmingham City Council leader, John Cotton announced the creation of a new Mayoral Development Corporation that will encompass East Birmingham and North Solihull, including the £3 billion Birmingham Sports Quarter, £4 billion Birmingham Knowledge Quarter, the new HS2 Curzon Street station and £2 billion Smithfield development;
  • in November 2025, secondary legislation was laid before Parliament to establish the Oxford Street Mayoral Development Corporation with the aim of regenerating London’s most famous shopping street;
  • in October 2025, Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham designated a Mayoral Development Area in the Trafford area that will deliver 15,000 new homes (including affordable housing), commercial spaces, and infrastructure improvements around Manchester United’s new stadium; and
  • in July 2025, plans were announced for a new Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation creating 20,000 high-quality jobs and providing a £1bn economic boost to parts of Bury and Rochdale.

Why has there been a surge in Mayoral Development Corporations?

Two reasons.  Firstly there’s a strong focus on delivery across both Central and Local Government at this time.  This is best articulated by the Secretary of State for Communities, Housing and Local Government, Steve Reed declaring that his mantra is “Build, Baby Build”.  Mayoral Development Corporations closely align with this focus on delivery.

Secondly, development corporations are effective. The New Towns Taskforce report praises development corporation’s “significant powers to coordinate investment, develop expertise, assemble land and facilitate faster delivery, ensuring joined-up infrastructure and amenities are in place from the outset, as well as providing more certainty about the future path of delivery“.

In terms of impact, the report goes on to state “development corporations have consistently delivered higher build out rates than alternative models” citing data from the Lichfields “Start to Finish” study which found “development corporation-led new towns of 10,000 or more homes tend to have build out rates averaging 600 or more per year; whereas commercially-led large sites with masterplanned schemes (without government coordination) tend to deliver an average of c.150 homes per year, taking an average of six years from submitting a planning application to completing the first homes“.  Having a Mayor involved is considered to assist the process, adding additional accountability and helping resolve cross-boundary issues.

Conclusion

The time is right for Mayoral Development Corporations to become major drivers of regeneration and economic growth.  However their effectiveness is not a given, but instead will depend on how well tailored these organisations are to solving the issues affecting the relevant Mayoral Development Areas.

Ward Hadaway is the first choice law firm for public authorities engaged in delivering projects, including setting up and running Mayoral Development Corporations.  Please do get in touch if we can be of assistance.

Simplifying Tenancy. Empowering People.

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The challenge of delivering simple accessible digital services remains a common thread across the housing sector. Tenants expect more, not just functionality but clarity ease of use and digital journeys that simply work first time. Housing providers need solutions that meet these expectations without adding layers of cost or complexity. HomeLynk is designed specifically for UK housing associations to deliver just that.

Enabling tenants to manage their tenancy services through an intuitive self-service portal that works on top of existing internal systems. From paying rent to submitting requests or simply updating details, HomeLynk delivers a consistent digital experience across devices with no need to replace core infrastructure.

Unlike many tenant portals that are extensions of existing products, HomeLynk has been purpose-built from the ground up as a dedicated digital platform for tenants. Backed by a team with deep experience in housing technology, shaped through direct collaboration with associations of all sizes, reflecting real operational needs and tenant priorities.

All designed with accessibility and inclusion at its core, supporting the sector’s commitment to delivering digital services that work for everyone.

Key benefits include:

  • Intuitive and accessible for all users
  • Works with existing back-office systems
  • Custom branded for each housing association
  • 24/7 mobile and desktop access
  • Supports tenant satisfaction through improved digital experience
  • Cost effective and scalable to meet demand
  • Fast to deploy with minimal disruption to existing operations

To find out more and speak to one of the team, visit www.homelynk.co.uk

guest blog – MRI – NHC Partnership announcement

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MRI Software is proud to be partnering with Northern Housing Consortium (NHC) as a Supporter Member; a partnership which reflects our shared commitment to supporting communities across the North.

This collaboration is about more than just technology. It’s about helping housing providers do what they do best: connecting people with safe, secure, and affordable homes. Through our platform, NHC members can streamline how they manage housing registers, advertise available properties, and allocate homes fairly and efficiently; all while staying compliant with the latest regulations.

Deborah Matthews, Managing Director for MRI Living for Social Housing at MRI Software commented:

“We’re genuinely honoured to be chosen as the Northern Housing Consortium’s Preferred Partner. At MRI, we understand the pressures facing housing teams right now with rising demand, tight budgets, and the growing need to support the most vulnerable in our communities. That’s why we’re committed to helping make their work easier, more effective, and more rewarding. We’re not just offering software solutions, we’re offering a partnership, trusted expertise, and tools that help deliver better outcomes for residents.”

Backed by decades of experience and trusted by more than 900 housing providers across the UK and Ireland, MRI’s social housing solutions are designed to reduce voids, support sustainable tenancies, and improve the day-to-day experience for staff and residents alike.

Together with NHC members, MRI Software are looking forward to building stronger services and stronger communities.

Bullwall guest blog – The Evolving State of Ransomware – The Risks, The Exploits, and the Defenses

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Ransomware has become the cornerstone of cybercrime, with attackers evolving their tactics to bypass defenses and cause widespread disruption. Organizations face significant challenges as ransomware continues to exploit weaknesses in security measures and operational processes. A more targeted understanding of these vulnerabilities is essential for mitigating risks and ensuring resilience.

Zero-Day Exploits: A New Era of Ransomware Tactics

Zero-day exploits represent one of the most significant challenges in ransomware defense today. These vulnerabilities, unknown to vendors and unpatched at the time of exploitation, provide attackers with a powerful advantage.

Traditional security solutions, such as signature-based antivirus programs or endpoint protection tools, struggle to identify and defend against zero-day attacks. By the time a signature or patch is developed, attackers have often already deployed ransomware payloads, leaving organizations scrambling to contain the damage.

The rise of artificial intelligence has exacerbated this problem. AI enables attackers to scale the discovery and exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities. With AI-driven tools, bad actors can automate the creation of malware variants, dramatically increasing the number of zero-days deployed in a short period. This capability not only overwhelms traditional defenses but also allows attackers to target multiple victims simultaneously, creating chaos at scale.

Zero-day vulnerabilities frequently target trusted systems, such as email servers or remote access tools, making them particularly difficult to detect. Organizations must focus on adaptive security measures, such as behavior-based monitoring and rapid incident response, to mitigate the risks posed by these advanced threats.

Unauthorized Access: The Gateway to Ransomware Attacks

Unauthorized access remains one of the most common starting points for ransomware incidents. Attackers often exploit stolen credentials or weak authentication practices to infiltrate systems.

Credential theft and misuse are particularly effective because they allow attackers to bypass traditional perimeter defenses entirely. Once inside, attackers leverage their access to disable security measures, escalate privileges, or deploy ransomware payloads on critical systems.

The increasing reliance on remote access technologies, such as VPNs and RDP, has only expanded the attack surface. Attackers use these access points to establish a foothold, often undetected, and launch ransomware attacks with devastating precision.

To mitigate these risks, organizations must strengthen authentication mechanisms, limit administrative privileges, and implement monitoring tools to detect and respond to unauthorized access attempts.

Early Indicators of Compromise: The Missed Opportunities

Ransomware attacks rarely happen instantaneously. Instead, attackers often leave behind early indicators of compromise (IoCs), such as unusual file access patterns, unauthorized changes to scheduled tasks, or attempts to disable security solutions.

Despite these warning signs, many organizations fail to act in time. The lack of real-time monitoring or automated responses allows attackers to proceed unchallenged, increasing the scope of damage.

The challenge lies in identifying these signals early and taking swift, automated action to contain the threat before it spreads. Organizations need tools that not only detect these IoCs but also act decisively to minimize the impact, isolating affected systems and preventing further escalation.

Containment Challenges: When Prevention Falls Short

Even with robust prevention strategies, no organization is immune to ransomware. Attackers are adept at bypassing traditional defenses, making it essential to focus on containment as a critical layer of defense.

The primary challenge with containment is the speed and scale of ransomware attacks. Once deployed, ransomware can encrypt files and disrupt operations within minutes, with new strains encrypting an astonishing 50,000 files per minute. Without the ability to isolate the affected systems quickly, organizations risk widespread damage and extended downtime.

A containment-first approach is increasingly recognized as a key component of resilience strategies. By limiting the scope of an attack to its initial entry point, organizations can protect critical systems and data, ensuring faster recovery and continuity of operations.

The Path Forward: Adapting to Ransomware’s Evolution

The growing sophistication of ransomware demands a shift in strategy. Organizations must move beyond prevention alone and adopt a comprehensive approach that integrates detection, containment, and response.

Key steps include:

  • Strengthening access controls and monitoring for unauthorized activity.
  • Focusing on early detection of IoCs to intercept threats before they escalate.
  • Implementing containment measures to minimize the impact of successful attacks.
  • Adopting adaptive defenses capable of addressing zero-day exploits and scaling incident response.

By addressing these challenges, organizations can reduce their exposure to ransomware and maintain operational resilience, even in the face of evolving threats.

 

Find out more about BullWall’s Ransomware Containment solution here.

Find out more about how BullWall’s Server Intrusion Protection solution reduces breach risk and enhances ransomware resilience by securing remote server access and critical server tasks here.

Find out how BullWall Virtual Server Protection for VMware, secures virtual servers by preventing unauthorized access and encryption attempts from external sources on ESXi hosts here.

MRI Software guest blog – Urgent Call for Better Solutions as Temporary Accommodation Costs Spiral

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Deborah Matthews, Managing Director, MRI Living for Social Housing. MRI Software

Local Authorities are currently facing a challenging and ongoing budget crisis, with some spending over £500,000 each week on temporary accommodation. This situation is not only unsustainable but also deeply concerning, as it drains valuable resources and fails to provide the lasting solutions that communities desperately need.

The issue is prominently featured in the headlines: daily reports of families living in substandard conditions and local councils struggling to manage the demand. The consequences include damaged reputations, growing frustration among both staff and tenants and a sense of helplessness stemming from the chronic shortage of housing. Addressing the issue of housing shortages cannot be done overnight, putting councils in a difficult situation.

Housing Consultant and public and social housing policy and practice specialist Neil Morland commented “Bed and breakfast (B&B) accommodation is the most expensive form of temporary housing for local authorities, with significantly higher costs than local authority/housing association stock, which offers much better value. From April 2023 to March 2024, local authorities in England spent a record £2.2bn on temporary accommodation, doubling from five years prior, and incurred a £1bn deficit. On March 31, 2024, a record 117,450 households occupied temporary accommodation.

Despite accounting for nearly one-third of temporary accommodation expenditure (£700 million), B&Bs represented only 15% of usage. The income generated from households in B&Bs covered only 40% of their costs, forcing local authorities to absorb the remaining 60%!

Other types of temporary housing, such as night-paid accommodation and private-sector leases, also incurred deficits.

Local authority and housing association stock comprised only 4% of expenditure but accounted for 24% of usage, resulting in a 30% surplus. This was the only type of temporary accommodation that generated a positive net expenditure.

Reducing the number of households occupying temporary accommodation is the best way to reduce temporary accommodation deficit net expenditure. However, high numbers of households continuing to seek homelessness assistance from local authorities, bringing down the levels of temporary accommodation usage are unlikely to happen in the short-term”

From a technology provider’s perspective, we believe there are opportunities for improvement. Many councils face challenges managing substantial expenses and intricate cases using traditional spreadsheets, which can lead to errors and overlooked priorities. We see this as an area where enhanced technology solutions could make the process more efficient and support councils in navigating their responsibilities more effectively.

“We understand the pressure local authorities are under—massive waiting lists, nowhere to house people, and no budget left to find alternatives,” said Deborah Matthews, Managing Director for MRI Living for Social Housing at MRI Software. “It’s at a crisis point, and it’s been that way for too long. Something needs to change now.”

As a leading supplier to the sector, MRI Software encourages councils to evaluate their processes and identify any inefficiencies that may be exacerbating the current crisis. Investing in smart, purpose-built, and, most importantly, affordable software solutions can be transformative. These tools can help councils manage temporary accommodation more effectively, track cases, and ensure that the most vulnerable individuals receive the assistance they need before their situations deteriorate.

“We know it’s a tough job, but we believe there’s a way to make it easier,” added Deborah. “There are technology solutions designed specifically to manage temporary accommodation, helping staff manage caseloads, track and prioritise needs, and keep people from falling through the cracks.”

As the government greenlights the 5,000 brownfield developments, local authorities must act quickly and make their internal processes more efficient. Investing in the right technology could make a big difference, helping councils stretch their budgets further and provide better outcomes for those in need.

Protecting the housing sector from cyber attacks

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Do you ever wonder how you would stop ransomware if it bypassed your existing cyber security solutions? Does the thought of the unknown vulnerabilities in your network keep you up at night? Are you concerned that your cyber insurance might not cover the full extent of damages caused by a ransomware attack?

If these concerns resonate with you, we invite you to learn about BullWall. Our solution is uniquely designed to stop ransomware in its tracks after an attack has started. With 24/7, 365 monitoring, BullWall detects ransomware activity, isolates and quarantines the affected user, and quickly identifies any encrypted files—typically between 10-50—for swift recovery.

Imagine having a solution to protect you from active ransomware attacks, that costs less per year than 2 hours of downtime!

United Welsh Housing, Tai Tarian, Tai Calon, Valleys to Coast, Cardiff Community, First Choice, Cynon Taf, Caredig Housing all did, and now they are all protected by BullWall, the experts in ransomware resilience.

Bullwall are the NHC’s newest Supporter member, broadening the expertise we can offer to our members. Find out more at our 1 hour webinar in January – and do encourage colleagues to join us!

Locata’s new Homelessness Academy will be launched in November

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Locata’s new Homelessness Academy will be launched in November. It is designed to be a comprehensive, flexible learning experience built to guide and enhance homelessness professional development. The course flow follows the route homelessness case officers normally pursue while developing their skills in a local authority. It is also designed to support staff at all levels throughout their careers in homelessness.

We will be holding a Launch Event with a demonstration of the Academy’s unique and comprehensive training program at our National User Group on 28 November 2024. Attendees of our NUG will be offered an exclusive discount for any subsequent enrolled learners. To register to attend our NUG, please follow this link: https://tinyurl.com/3t796nmy

The Academy was developed in collaboration with Andy Gale and a group of housing professionals and is specifically designed to tackle critical issues in housing and homelessness and addresses organisational issues such as staff turnover, work-related stress and skills development.

Organisations that embrace Locata Academy’s homelessness training will benefit from a more stable, skilled and motivated workforce. Officers on the course can access 10 blocks of e-learning with comprehensive links to legal provisions, guidance and further reading with more than 100 instructional videos and downloadable slides, transcripts, toolkits and template decision letters. There are also multiple choice questions to test your progress at the end of each block of learning and personal certificates of accomplishment.

Once the course has been completed, alumni will be given the opportunity to keep in touch with their peers on Locata Academy. Membership allows ongoing access to all the sections completed, as well as the ability to consult all of the resources and downloads, continued use of the forums and notifications of relevant updates and changes in homelessness legislation as they evolve.

For more information visit the webpage at: https://locata-academy.org.uk/

 

Driving Digital Transformation in Housing: A New Era for Tenant Engagement

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In the fast-evolving landscape of housing in the UK, digital transformation is not just a buzzword but a strategic necessity. Housing associations, traditionally seen as conservative entities in adopting digital technologies, are now at the forefront of this revolution, providing more accessible, efficient, and customer-centric services. A prime example of this shift is the pioneering efforts of Johnnie Johnson Housing, a leading housing association in the North of England, which has embarked on a remarkable journey to redefine tenant experience through digital innovation.

Partnership for Innovation

At the beginning of the pandemic, Johnnie Johnson Housing recognised the urgent need to streamline processes and improve the way tenants managed their accounts online.  They partnered with Mediaworks, for their expertise and data-driven approach to design a new suite of tenant-facing digital platforms. This wasn’t just about technological progress but about putting tenants at the heart of the digital framework, enhancing online experiences, and accelerating a shift from manual to digital self-service.

A Comprehensive Digital Strategy

The strategy involved developing a mobile-first website, a user-friendly digital portal, and a convenient app, all designed to provide seamless experiences across multiple devices. Research and integration were the two key pillars of Mediaworks’ approach. By conducting focus-group research with residents and prospective tenants, the team gathered valuable insights that helped shape a customer-first digital estate. This involved building user-based personas to understand varied user needs and integrating with existing housing management systems through bespoke APIs, ensuring a frictionless cross-platform experience.

Impressive Outcomes

The impact of these digital platforms has been profound. Within just three months of its launch, Johnnie Johnson Housing saw an 82% increase in new housing applications and a surge in portal users, with a 732% increase in new users engaging with digital services for the first time. These figures not only underscore the success of the digital transformation project but also highlight the growing demand for digital self-service options among tenants.

Expanding the Digital Frontier

Home Group, another notable player in the housing sector, has also embraced digital transformation with Mediaworks’ assistance. By improving online search capabilities and transaction processes, Home Group has significantly reduced Recurring inquiry tasks, freeing up resource for those in greatest need. Their new digital experience, informed by customer focus groups and featuring personalised content, has led to a remarkable 486% increase in online interactions with the repairs section of their website.

Looking Ahead

These transformations by Johnnie Johnson Housing and Home Group are not isolated successes but part of a broader movement towards digitalisation in the housing sector. Mediaworks have partnered with several housing associations, through the Northern Housing Consortium, including Bernicia Homes, Ongo Homes and Salix Homes, helping them transform their digital experiences.

By putting customer experience first and leveraging digital technologies, housing associations can enhance service delivery, improve operational efficiencies, and meet the evolving needs of their tenants.

The journey of digital transformation in the housing sector is a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration. As housing associations continue to navigate the digital landscape, their efforts will undoubtedly shape a more connected, efficient, and tenant-centric future.

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This article provides a concise overview of the digital transformation initiatives undertaken by Johnnie Johnson Housing and Home Group, illustrating the significant benefits of embracing digital technologies in the housing sector.

For more information visit https://www.mediaworks.co.uk

How Valuations could assist Balance the Decarbonisation Investment Cost

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There is an increasing amount of pressure from funders within the sector, for the valuation of securitised portfolios to include the associated costs of decarbonisation works. Whilst the Government’s most recent messaging on EPC and Net-Zero targets may have softened, we can be assured the sector will not overlook the importance and the need for more energy efficient homes and the benefits they provide the communities they serve. As a consequence, and rightly so, this investment is a necessity and one which will continue, with all actions focussed upon providing the best homes possible.

There is no getting around the fact that the level of capital expenditure required to fund decarbonisation, creates a significant challenge and putting these costs into valuations takes a huge amount of value out, however with some changes to loan security requirements, there may well be a part solution we can explore.

As Valuers, JLL are currently urging funders to adopt a ‘lotting’ approach to loan security valuations to help the sector’s stock decarbonisation efforts. ‘Lotting’ involves the allocation of different properties into groups according to factors such as tenure, size and geography, as well as other portfolio characteristics.

This is by no means a new approach to assessing value; it has been used in stock rationalisation sales for the past two decades as a means to generate demand. In turn this can often drive more value, by opening up sales to a wider audience and parties who may not necessarily be in a position to acquire an entire portfolio. It assumes the ability to purchase individual lots and is conducted with the support of a direct evidence base from previous market transactions.

Although this approach is adopted under commercial lending, for loan security valuations in social housing finance, valuers have not been permitted to use ‘lotting’. Funders currently instruct on a restricted basis of valuing units in a single hypothetical portfolio.

We would argue that the current restrictions are not maximising value, as it does not truly reflect how a lender would actually realise its security if there were a default. The value of ‘lotting’ is making valuations a truer reflection of the market into which the security would be sold. To provide some context, if valuing 1,000 units for loan security, we are currently assuming a single hypothetical transaction rather than four lots of, say, 250 units each, which is not how the market generally trades.

If funders were to allow valuers to overlay how the market actually operates, in most cases, albeit not all, you should be able to produce a higher value that is more reflective of how security would be realised. This additional value would then allow us to deal with a large part of the decarbonisation problem and its impact upon portfolio values.

JLL is actively lobbying the sector via various forums, providing the supporting modelling to demonstrate the positive impact ‘lotting’ can provide in meeting some of the current investment
challenges. As with anything new to the sector, it is an evolving conversation, but if anyone would be interested in finding out more, we would very much welcome the opportunity to share the discussion.

Richard Houghton – JLL Affordable Housing Valuation North
richard.houghton@jll.com