upspace

What upspace does

Upspace (legally Upspace Construction Services Ltd) is a UK-based airspace development specialist that converts underused residential building rooftops in London into new homes. The company partners with freeholders and leaseholder groups to add storeys above existing blocks, addressing London's housing shortage by leveraging the estimated 180,000 potential homes that industry analysis identifies as buildable on existing rooftops. The company operates a B2B, project-based model and is backed by one of the UK's largest freeholders, which anchors its deal flow and financial stability. Upspace claims the largest portfolio of ready-to-go planning consents of any London airspace developer.

The company's core technology centers on off-site construction using cross-laminated timber (CLT), structural insulated panels (SIPs), and modular building methods. Upspace reports that up to 80% of the build is managed off-site, enabling up to 50% reductions in construction time versus traditional methods and minimizing disruption to existing residents. Each project includes a complete building refurbishment package: a new roof with a 20+ year guarantee, facade and communal area upgrades, insulation improvements, and security system enhancements. The company's structural assessment methodology evaluates building suitability for additional storeys before any development proposal.

Upspace's business model is build-and-hold rather than build-and-sell. The company funds construction costs itself and retains the newly developed rooftop units in the private rental market long-term, providing ongoing rental revenue and aligning its interest with building quality. Freeholders receive a share of benefits, including a new roof, building upgrades, and 3-4% (up to 10% in some cases) capital value appreciation on existing units. An alternative model allows freeholders to sell airspace lease rights outright to Upspace. Sales cycles are long and consultative, involving site assessments, planning consultations, and resident engagement. Upspace is a co-founding member of the Association of Rooftop and Airspace Developers (ARAD), which helped shape the 2020 Permitted Development Rights legislation enabling upward extensions.

Name

upspace

Legal name

Upspace Construction Services Ltd

Website

https://airspacedeveloper.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Upspace is a UK-based airspace development specialist that partners with London freeholders and leaseholders to convert underused residential rooftops into new homes using off-site construction methods. The company funds projects, retains units as private rentals, and claims London's largest planning consent pipeline for rooftop extensions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Real Estate Development

NAICS

Residential Building Construction (2361)

SIC

Prefabricated Wood Bldgs & Components (2452)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH)

Keywords

• Residential airspace development
• Rooftop property development
• Off-site timber construction
• Rooftop housing solutions
• Airspace lease services

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Airspace Development Partnership: Upspace partners with freeholders and leaseholders to develop rooftop airspace. The company funds construction costs and retains new units in the private rental market long-term, rather than selling units. Freeholders receive upgrades to existing buildings, roof replacement, and share of benefits. Revenue comes from rental income from newly developed properties.
2. Airspace Lease Acquisition: Freeholders can sell airspace lease rights to Upspace outright. Upspace then undertakes development independently and retains all rental income from new units.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Upspace develops residential airspace projects that convert underused rooftops into habitable homes, primarily in London. The company partners with freeholders and leaseholders to build new residential units above existing buildings using off-site construction techniques including cross-laminated timber (CLT) and structural insulated panels (SIPs). Completed units are retained in the private rental market rather than sold, and projects include comprehensive building refurbishment such as new roofs with 20+ year guarantees, communal area upgrades, and facade improvements.

Product overview

Upspace is an award-winning airspace development company specializing in residential rooftop development in London. The core offering consists of airspace and rooftop development services that transform under-utilized building rooftops into high-end residential accommodation. The company employs off-site construction techniques (including cross-laminated timber and modular construction) to minimize disruption and reduce build times by up to 50%. Upspace retains completed units in the private rental market rather than selling them, maintaining ongoing interest in building quality. Development projects include comprehensive building refurbishment such as new roofs with 20+ year guarantees, communal area upgrades, facade improvements, and security system enhancements. The company also offers airspace lease services for property owners looking to monetize or develop their rooftop space.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Airspace Development

Quantifiable outcome

• 3-4% average increase in capital value of existing properties below newly developed airspace
• +4 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ARAD (Association of Rooftop and Airspace Developers)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021ARAD is a trade association established by leading airspace developers to promote best practices, innovation, and industry standards in the UK's airspace development sector. Upspace is a founding/co-founding member of ARAD. The association developed a Code of Conduct for members and works to ensure high standards across the industry. ARAD was directly involved with the 2020 Permitted Development for Upwards Extensions legislation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pocket Living: London-based residential developer focused on compact, affordable homes for first-time buyers using modern construction methods. Comparable to Upspace in its London-centric, design-led, specialist residential development model targeting undersupplied urban segments.

Broad incumbents

• Berkeley Group: One of the UK's largest London-focused residential developers, building mixed-tenure homes across the capital. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating in the same London residential market, though with a much larger scale and traditional build-for-sale model rather than airspace or off-site specialization.
• Barratt Developments: Major UK homebuilder with significant London operations through its Barratt London brand. A broad incumbent comparable to Upspace in serving the residential market but operating at significantly larger scale using conventional construction methods.
• Taylor Wimpey: One of the UK's largest residential developers with London operations. A broad incumbent operating in the same residential property market but with a fundamentally different scale, geographic spread, and traditional build-for-sale business model.
• Crest Nicholson: UK residential developer with a southern England focus including London commuter areas. A broad incumbent in residential development using conventional construction methods, contrasting with Upspace's specialist off-site airspace model.
• Mace Group: Major UK construction and consultancy group with a dedicated modular/off-site construction arm (Mace Macro). Comparable as a large-scale player adopting off-site methods for residential and mixed-use projects, competing for similar off-site construction capability.

Emerging players

• Legal & General Modular Homes: Institutional modular housing manufacturer backed by Legal & General, producing factory-built homes for residential developers and housing associations. Comparable to Upspace through its emphasis on off-site/modular construction methodologies for residential delivery.
• Ilke Homes: UK modular housing manufacturer producing factory-built residential units using off-site construction. Comparable to Upspace through its focus on off-site/modular methods and addressing the UK's housing supply shortage, though Ilke focuses on volume modular manufacturing rather than rooftop airspace development.
• TopHat: UK-based modular homes manufacturer using factory-built timber-frame construction for residential developers and housing providers. Comparable through its use of off-site construction and CLT-style timber methodologies similar to Upspace's airspace build approach.
• Urban Splash: UK regeneration and residential developer known for modular and factory-built housing innovations. Comparable to Upspace through its pioneering use of off-site construction techniques and focus on under-utilised urban sites, though operating at a broader regeneration scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/up-space
• Instagraminstagram.com/upspace__

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about upspace