One of the UK’s largest housing associations has outlined plans to build over 220 affordable homes as part of the Government’s £2bn cash injection to its Plan for Change programme.
Home Group, which has over 57,000 properties, aims to use the grant to help it deliver 134 social and 90 shared ownership homes across the North East and the North West of England.
It is looking to secure almost £21m in grant, while investing over £47m of its own funds. Detailed plans for each scheme have been submitted to Homes England. Areas covered include Cumberland, Westmoreland and Furness, Hull, Hartlepool and Redcar and Cleveland.
The North East based housing association has been delivering over 1,000 homes per year for the past several years, and aims to do the same this year — the majority of which will be affordable.
Will Gardner, Executive Director of Development and Investment at Home Group, said: “Our aim is to deliver the right homes in the right places — something we have been doing for many years. Securing this funding will help us to continue to do that.
“All the evidence points to a serious need for more affordable housing in Cumberland, Westmoreland and Furness and Teesside. This funding, and our significant investment, will help satisfy that need.”
All the plans submitted are part of an interim measure to ensure affordable homes continue to be delivered until the new round of funding becomes available in the next financial year.
The Government expect up to 18,000 new social and affordable homes will be built with the £2bn injection of investment to deliver the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.
It is a ‘down payment’ from the Treasury ahead of more long-term investment in social and affordable housing planned later this year, which will provide additional funding for 2026-27 and well as for future years.
