The social housing sector continues to grow but the bulk of new activity is concentrated in the hands of the same performers.
Analysis of housing association development programmes once again shows a relatively steady level of activity.

True, there is a slight decline - 94 000 homes are in the pipeline compared with 97 000 last year and the number with programmes exceeding 500 homes has dropped by six to 46 - but the overall picture is one of continuing growth of the sector (see table).

Another continuing feature is the shift away from reliance on the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme to other activity such as regeneration work in partnership with local authorities, and for health and education trusts.

Some of the biggest developers have relatively smaller Corporation allocations for the coming year compared to their size in terms of both management and development, and compared with previous years The list is also marked by a shift of spending southwards. This trend is likely to continue given the Government's rent restructuring which is designed to make more sense of rents based, among other things, on wage levels in an area. It is also causing shifts away from some of the metropolitan areas.

The table also shows the relative stability of the top 50 over a period of time. This year there are only seven newcomers, and all of these have featured a couple of times over the past five years. Similarly, although there were 11 changes in the 2000 list, most of these also returned after a year or two absence.

In terms of overall size, associations now manage 1.7m homes, an increase of about 150 000 over the past year, much of it due to transfers from local authorities. This activity is increasing.

Subject to positive ballots of tenants, housing associations and local housing companies will pass the 2m homes in management mark within the next 12 months. Given the Government's enthusiasm for councils to divest themselves of their stock, it is likely that the housing association sector will have a larger stock than local authorities within three years.

The names to look out for in 2001, and four more to watch

Horizon
Previously known as South London Family, much of the group’s work has been in regeneration over the past few years, which will be boosted by the £22m partnership redevelopment of London’s 2700 home Aylesbury Estate, assuming tenants vote in favour in a ballot expected later this year. Waterloo
One of the smaller associations in the list, Waterloo has been successful in being selected for several regeneration partnerships in the West Midlands. It has also won an increased Corporation allocation both in terms of actual size and market share. South Yorkshire
Although small compared with the top 50 in management terms, South Yorkshire pioneered PFI for housing in north east Derbyshire. It has a boosted programme and will also grow rapidly from a partnership with Yorkshire Community HA to provide refugee housing. Acton
For the past few years, Acton has had the fastest rate of growth based on a range of activity. It has also won the fourth biggest Housing Corporation allocation for the coming year. Ujima
Has benefited from strong encouragement towards black and minority ethnic-led associations and is set for further growth with a huge allocation for 2001-2002. Bubbling under?
Others outside the list with expanding programmes include London-based Community, a multi-award winning association which has pioneered private renting; Merseyside-based Grosvenor which is expected to merge with troubled Liver HA; Sarsen, a transfer association in Wiltshire which has built an active programme; and Midsummer in the Milton Keynes area, set up for low-cost home ownership but which now has an expanding rental subsidiary.