<b><b>The public sector is muscling in on the traditional territory of the private housebuilder. Mark Smulian says developers should gen up on Egan and get themselves a public partner if they are going to enjoy the benefits of multi billion pound future development opportunities</b></b><br><b>It is not often that housebuilders have tendered for a project only to be beaten by the commercial arm of a housing association - but that was the fate of six firms, including the big four of Barratt, Persimmon, Bellway and Wimpey, at the Walker Riverside redevelopment in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.</b><br> The winner was the sprawling Places for People Group whose best known component is North British Housing Association, and which is now the proud owner of Emblem, which builds homes for sale as part of appropriate developments.<p></p><p><b><b>blatant invasion</b></b><br> Things are clearly changing fast in social housing. While Places for People&amp;’s approach may be unusual, the winners in this new world are likely to be housebuilders that can forge partnerships with the sharply decreasing band of associations with cash to spend on new development.</p><p> Emblem is perhaps the most blatant invasion of housebuilders&amp;’ traditional turf to have come out of the social sector, but it could be an early …