Starlight Investments and National Housing Bank Join Forces to Accelerate Rental Housing Development; Bank Invests £100 Million in Phases Through Starlight Platform, Advancing Plans for 6,000 Homes
TorontoMay 13, 2026 /CNW/ — Starlight Investments announced that the National Housing Bank, a subsidiary of Homes England, has joined as a cornerstone institutional investor in the Starlight UK Build-to-Rent (BTR) Fund II, jointly supporting the accelerated delivery of new rental housing across England. This investment reflects a shared commitment to expanding rental housing supply and driving growth in areas with the most pressing demand for new homes.
Rendering of Starlight Investments’ build-to-rent project in Basildon, UK.
Homes England is the government’s housing and regeneration agency, tasked with addressing England’s housing challenges at a national level. It leverages its land, funding, and expertise to create opportunities for development projects and support local leading organizations in building sustainable, well-designed communities. This equity investment is one of the first made by Homes England’s newly established National Housing Bank, a new government platform designed to drive long-term spatial planning and housing investment. As a subsidiary of Homes England, the National Housing Bank flexibly deploys government-backed capital through various funds, platforms, and partnerships to unlock housing and regeneration projects, mobilize private capital, and accelerate housing delivery at scale.
Starlight’s UK residential asset management platform, established in 2020, focuses on the build-to-rent sector and is committed to delivering thousands of new homes in major regional cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, and Leeds—which also face severe rental housing supply shortages—as well as key commuter belt markets around London. Starlight’s managed portfolio in the UK includes 4,000 homes with assets under management totaling £1.1 billion. The company is dedicated to supporting the region’s housing construction targets and, backed by strong operational management capabilities, offers top-tier rental housing options. In executing its UK projects, Starlight brings over three decades of global multi-family investment and asset management experience to the UK. Starlight’s track record as an experienced, professional, and reliable build-to-rent operator was a key factor in Homes England’s decision to partner with the company’s growing UK business platform.
Building on the success of Starlight’s first UK build-to-rent fund, Fund II continues the company’s long-term strategy of developing and operating professionally managed rental housing in structurally undersupplied markets. At the same time, Starlight employs a disciplined investment approach that supports broader economic growth through sustained investment, job creation, urban regeneration, and the development of high-quality rental communities near employment, education, and transportation hubs. Homes England’s investment, combined with strong backing from a diverse group of global institutional investors, drives the Fund II platform to deliver 6,000 much-needed homes.
Daniel Drimmer, Founder and CEO of Starlight Investments, said: “Starlight’s UK residential strategy is rooted in a responsible, long-term investment philosophy and a commitment to providing residents with high-quality rental options. This partnership builds on our expanding portfolio in the UK and marks a significant milestone as we continue to grow our build-to-rent platform, combining private investment with outcomes that benefit local communities.”
Simon Century, CEO of the National Housing Bank, said: “This is exactly the type of investment the National Housing Bank aims to drive—one that can truly transform England’s housing market. Securing commitments from international capital to invest in building thousands of new homes in towns and cities across the UK is a very encouraging sign of the open and collaborative vitality of England’s residential market, capable of attracting institutional investment to fuel growth. Starlight’s strategy of developing, professionally managing, and institutionally holding mid-market rental housing aligns closely with our regional focus. We welcome this partnership as a key step in helping communities address their housing needs.”