KARNDEAN Designflooring is stepping up its presence in the UK’s social and affordable housing sector with its refreshed Knight Tile collection at the heart of the push.

At a recent roundtable, George Barrett (national account manager for social housing), Richard Allen (sales director) discussed why affordable housing has become one of Karndean’s fastest-growing markets.

‘Affordable and social housing has always been part of our work,’ George said. ‘But the sector itself is now a real growth area. The Knight Tile range, which we’ve recently refreshed, has long been popular in shared ownership and affordable homes. What’s happening now is a clear shift away from functional sheet vinyl and toward LVT products like Knight Tile. Sheet vinyl is fine for durability and price, but it’s not exactly inspiring. Our products deliver both the function and the finish.’

That shift reflects a bigger change in how affordable housing is viewed. ‘Not long ago, it was all about function,’ George continued. ‘Durable, cheap, and nothing more. Sheet vinyl ticked those boxes, but it wasn’t aspirational. What we’re seeing now is affordable housing that’s genuinely high quality, reflecting a broader shift across the UK.’

He pointed to developers such as Clarion Housing Group , where shared-ownership homes sit alongside open-market houses priced at £400,000–£600,000. ‘And they’re indistinguishable, with high-end finishes,’ George said. ‘Quality kitchens and interiors, flooring like Knight Tile, these are homes people want to live in. The fact they’re affordable is about the route to market, not a compromise.’

Richard Allen agreed. ‘Affordable housing doesn’t have to mean basic or unattractive,’ he said. ‘The push now is for homes that deliver aesthetics and performance. Higher-spec products improve living standards, reduce tenant turnover and raise the quality of the housing stock. That’s where we add value.’

And it’s not just about looks. Richard argued that design is what sets Karndean apart. ‘Plenty of suppliers can deliver functional LVT. But why stop at ‘functional’? With Knight Tile we’ve curated a range with real design choice, from light classic oak to acacia. That gives tenants the power to make a home their own, not just tick a box.’

The latest refresh of Knight Tile pushes this further, with nine new wood and stone designs, including herringbone formats, aligned with the growing appetite for biophilic interiors. With earthy tones, muted finishes and textures inspired by reclaimed oak, acacia and riverbed marble, the collection taps into a wider trend for restorative spaces that balance wellbeing with practicality. ‘Our mission is to search the world for the most precious materials and reimagine them into beautifully designed flooring that reflects changing tastes,’ Richard said.

That design-led approach is already influencing the new-build sector. L&Q Construction has broken ground on its largest-ever in-house project, the flagship Greenwich Peninsula development, delivering 476 homes across seven buildings, including two towers of 22 and 30 storeys, two mansion blocks, and 17 family townhouses, scheduled for completion in 2027.

Designed by Sheppard Robson, the 40,000sq m scheme will comprise 70% affordable housing (split between London Affordable Rent and Shared Ownership) and 30% market sale, with Karndean Knight Tile Grey Scandi Pine and Nordic Limed Oak specified throughout. Part of the wider Greenwich Peninsula masterplan, the project will transform a brownfield site opposite St Mary Magdalene School with 3,000 sq m of play, amenity, and landscaped public space.

As a flagship scheme, it adds to L&Q’s existing stock of nearly 6,000 homes in Greenwich, and sits alongside other live self-delivery projects started this year representing over 1,000 new homes, including a forthcoming Plumstead College development of almost 300 homes and a new school campus.

George stressed that the affordable housing sector is catching up quickly with these advantages. While some providers still see LVT as ‘too expensive’ compared with sheet vinyl, he argued that the work we’re doing shows LVT is often cheaper to install than comparable sheet vinyl products, and its longevity means it will last longer. ‘We’re able to offer high-quality products at comparative prices to sheet vinyl, with or without acoustic backing, depending on requirements. That means providers can deliver a better-quality home and happier tenants, without compromising budgets.’

Operationally, LVT also delivers. Knight Tile comes with a 35-year residential warranty, including for social housing, and strong lifecycle performance. ‘You score very highly on ESG and lifecycle assessments with our products because of their longevity,’ George said. ‘Repairs are minimal, and if there’s a damaged plank it can be replaced individually. That’s what really differentiates good-quality LVT from sheet vinyl, where repairs are often disruptive, costly and unsustainable.’

Sustainability remains another pillar of Karndean’s offer. The company runs a take-back scheme for offcuts, recycles hundreds of tonnes of material annually and has invested in a BREEAM-accredited warehouse to prepare for rapid expansion. The new Knight Tile designs are also manufactured to ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 standards, with up to 50% recycled content in their backing layers.

But Richard said the company’s role goes beyond supplying product. ‘As a manufacturer, we’ve got a responsibility to the wider construction ecosystem. If government is putting £39bn into affordable housing, suppliers need to be ready. Otherwise, you get what we saw during Covid: supply shortages, costs spiralling, and projects stalling. We take that seriously. It’s not just commercial, it’s about supporting the fabric of society.’

George added that the sector is still only at the beginning of its growth curve. ‘We’re currently tracking about 60,000 affordable homes: on target, but the real acceleration is still to come. With government funding, planning reforms and backlogs being cleared, we expect a sharp uptick over the next five years. That’s why we’ve doubled warehouse capacity and expanded the portfolio. Affordable housing is going to be a critical growth driver, and we’re ready.’

With government projections pointing to 180,000 additional affordable homes over the next decade, Karndean believes it’s well placed to meet demand. ‘Whether it’s housing associations or local councils, our goal is to deliver the same high-quality flooring to social housing that you’d expect in the private market,’ George said.

By David Strydom editor