An innovative partnership between the Greater Manchester Combined
Authority and Greater Manchester Housing Providers is aiming to
build hundreds of homes a year to help address the shortfall of
housing in the city-region.
The Registered Providers Joint Venture partnership between the
GMCA and ten Greater Manchester housing associations is one of
the first of its kind in the country. It is looking to create an
ambitious new entrant in the Greater Manchester housing market,
delivering homes of all sizes across the 10 districts to meet the
needs of our communities.
This will accelerate delivery to help meet housing targets,
including potential to deliver affordable and social rented homes
in partnership with local authorities.
It is hoped that in time the Joint Venture will build around 500
high-quality homes each year to meet the needs of Greater
Manchester. Housing providers have a long commitment to creating
jobs and improving the skills of Greater Manchester residents and
the venture will contribute to accomplishing these goals.
Paul Dennett, City Mayor of Salford and GMCA Portfolio Holder for
Housing, Homelessness and Infrastructure said: “We are committed
here in Greater Manchester to making sure the right houses are
available in the right places and this partnership would help us
to do that.
“We face challenges in the city-region in providing homes for
everyone and we need to think outside the box to do so. We’re
very happy to be working with Greater Manchester Housing
Providers to increase the supply of much needed new homes.”
The GMCA is initially putting £2m into the venture from the
Greater Manchester Housing Investment Fund, once due diligence
has been completed. Each of the housing associations has agreed
to invest £3m into it.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, , said: “This is an innovative
new way of looking to address the shortfall of housing in Greater
Manchester and I am looking forward to working with our new
partners in this exciting venture.
“This is just another example of how we are doing things
differently in the city-region working with our partner housing
providers and getting these much-needed houses built. The
intention of this venture is to acquire the land and start
working to develop it immediately.
“This is about getting things done but we won’t compromise on
quality to do that. This will also allow us to be flexible and
meet the needs of different boroughs.”
Where local authorities are able to accept reduced land value for
sites or additional subsidy can be sourced, an increased level of
affordable housing could be provided by the partnership.
Matthew Harrison, CEO and Executive Board Member of Great Places
Housing Group, representing the housing providers, said: “It’s
really exciting to be making so much progress with this
initiative and that we’ve got all our Board approvals in place, a
Project Director in post and that we’re now moving the
conversation to talking about delivery.
“The Greater Manchester Housing Providers group is a brilliant
vehicle for collaboration and in this case we’re bringing a new
and disruptive housing supplier to the market, delivering new
homes that are so desperately needed in Greater Manchester. The
support of the Combined Authority has been fantastic and with the
local districts and Homes England supporting us with access to
land, we have a real opportunity to ramp up delivery of new homes
beyond our affordable activity.
“This is ground breaking collaborative working that’s totally
aligned with our social purpose and we’re now looking forward to
getting on with building.”
Danielle Gillespie, Homes England’s General Manager for the North
West added: “This Joint Venture effectively establishes a new
entrant in the market and is a great example of how local
partners and Homes England are working differently, to deliver
additional homes in Greater Manchester.
Notes to editors:
Release issued on behalf of the Greater Manchester Combined
Authority and Greater Manchester Housing Providers
Greater Manchester Housing Providers is made up of 25 housing
providers across Greater Manchester.
The ten GMHP members involved in the Registered Providers Joint
Venture partnership include: Bolton-at-Home, Great Places Housing
Group, Irwell Valley Homes, Mosscare St Vincents, One Manchester,
Onward Homes, Salix Homes, Southway Housing, Trafford Housing
Trust and Wythenshawe Community Housing Group.
Each have committed £3million to the JV alongside £2million from
the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
