RSUA met today with Jan Sloan, Executive Director of Development and New Business at Clanmil Housing Association.
The meeting focused on Clanmil’s future investment and development plans, procurement approach and opportunities for collaboration on design quality, innovation and sustainability.
Current portfolio
Clanmil is one of Northern Ireland’s largest housing associations, employing more than 300 people and owning and managing around 6,000 homes. It has an annual turnover of approximately £57 million, and a property portfolio valued at around £750 million.
New corporate strategy
In April 2026, Clanmil launched its five-year corporate strategy, Opportunity and Impact – Our Plan to 2031.
Key commitments include:
Regeneration
The strategy also includes a commitment to pursue joint ventures with developers, local government and investors to deliver large-scale regeneration projects across towns and cities.
During the meeting, Clanmil emphasised the important role that high-quality, creative design will play in these schemes. This includes ensuring new housing is well integrated into existing neighbourhoods, while futureproofing homes to support adaptation and retrofit over time.
Open design competitions
Clanmil advised that its preferred approach to procuring design teams is through open design competitions. Practices will be required to demonstrate experience in residential housing design of a similar scale and complexity to the proposed scheme, although this experience does not need to be limited to the social housing sector.
Upcoming schemes expected to follow this land-led approach include developments in North and West Belfast, as well as sites in the North West.
RSUA agreed to share its position paper on public design competitions, which is currently under review, to help inform Clanmil’s approach. Clanmil also committed to notifying RSUA directly as future opportunities are advertised.
Wider procurement approach
Clanmil advised that around 70% of its schemes continue to be procured through the competitive Land, Design and Build model.
Under this procurement route, the Employer’s Agent must be either architect-led or quantity surveyor-led. In all cases, an architect approved by the housing association is appointed and retained throughout the construction phase.
Embodied carbon
RSUA asked Clanmil to what extent it has considered embodied carbon in its developments. Clanmil responded that, although it published a bespoke Environmental Strategy 2024–29, embodied carbon is not specifically addressed within the strategy.
However, Clanmil said it is keen to drive improvements in this area and welcomed further discussions with RSUA on how this could be taken forward.
Further engagement If you have any questions or comments about this meeting, please contact Curtis Large, RSUA Policy and Public Affairs Officer, at curtis@rsua.org.uk
