North West companies secure part of £5.2bn social housing pot

Onward Homes, Torus and Great Places are just three of the 31 new strategic partners for Homes England, which wants to deliver 90,000 affordable homes in the next five years.

Great Places is slated to build the most homes under the funding scheme, securing £241m for 4,920 homes. Clarion Housing Association came next, with £250m for 4,770 homes.

“We are delighted at today’s announcement of our new Strategic Partnership with Homes England,” said Matthew Harrison, chief executive of Great Places. “Our work with Homes England to date has been a great success and we’re proud to be able to continue working with the agency delivering much-needed affordable homes over the next seven years at a scale in line with our ambitious development plans.”

Onward Homes secured £152m for the building of 3,208 homes. The North West-focused company said that up to 600 of those homes would be delivered in partnership with Progress Housing Group. The company also said that 38% of its homes would be affordable rent, 12% rent to buy, 40% shared ownership and 10% supported.

“We are ready to get building,” said Sandy Livingstone, executive director of property for Onward.

“Around half of the land pipeline needed to deliver the homes supported by the AHP grant is already in place,” he continued. “Now we are seeking new partners and opportunities across the region to turn these big numbers into real homes for customers.”

St Helens-based Torus netted £140m for 2,736 homes. Torus said that its homes would have a range of tenure options.

“This grant enables us to plan further into the future… and create a stable, long-term pipeline that will see homes built exactly where they’re needed, ensuring that we can make the biggest difference for our communities,” said Torus chief executive Steve Coffey.

“The need for affordable housing is not ebbing and as a group, we continue to work tirelessly to not only build homes that give people chances to live well in a home and area they choose,” he added later. “By proactively partnering with national agencies and collaborating strategically with Homes England, we can effectively plan for the future and continue helping people on and along the property ladder.

“Not only will this grant help us and our communities ‘Build Back Better’, it will contribute to tackling social issues, supporting people into training and employment and creating homes that embrace new technologies and create greener, healthier homes everyone can afford.”

Of the 31 strategic partners, Metropolitan Thames Valley received the most grant money. Homes England awarded it £623m for the construction of 1,500 homes.

Other strategic partners for Homes England include GreenSquare Accord, Vistry, and Legal & General Affordable Homes. GreenSquare Accord was granted £213m for 3,755 homes. Vistry secured £83m for 1,474 homes. Legal & General Affordable Homes received £126m for 2,121 homes.

You can find a full list of the grant awards below:

• Abri – £250m for 3,218 homes
• Accent – £210m for 3,305 homes
• Aster – £114m for 1,550 homes
• Bromford – £240m for 4,00 homes
• Clarion – £250m for 4,770 homes
• Curo & Swan – £160m for 2,425 homes
• EMH & Midland Heart – £172m for 3,551 homes
• Flagship – £93m for 1,500 homes
• Great Places  – £241m for 4,920 homes
• Greensquare Accord – £213m for 3,755 homes
• Guinness & Stonewater – £250m for 4,180 homes
• Hyde – £250m for 3,000 homes
• Karbon – £132m for 2,200 homes
• Legal & General – £126m for 2,121 homes
• LiveWest – £124m for 2,550 homes
• Longhurst & NCHA – £230m for 3,935 homes
• McCarthy and Stone – £94m for 1,500 homes
• Metropolitan Thames Valley – £623m for 1,500 homes
• Onward Homes – £152m for 3,208 homes
• Orbit – £104m for 1,500 homes
• Places for People – £250m for 4,403 homes
• Platform – £250m for 4,403 homes
• Riverside – £81m for 1,530 homes
• Sage – £74m for 1,750 homes
• Sanctuary – £100m for 2,000 homes
• Sovereign – £167m for 3,338 homes
• Thirteen – £191m for 3,270 homes
• Together – £250m for 4,047 homes
• Torus – £140m for 2,736 homes
• Vistry – £83m for 1,474 homes
• Vivid – £106m for 1,550 homes