Homes England names eight new strategic partners

News30 Oct 2018Sarah Williams

Homes England has named the eight housing associations involved in its second wave of strategic partnership allocations, as it publishes its five-year strategic plan.

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Homes England announces the eight associations involved in new strategic partnerships, as it publishes its five-year strategic plan #ukhousing

Stonewater and Guinness combine forces to deliver 4,500 additional affordable homes by 2022, as one of Homes England’s seven new strategic partnerships #ukhousing

Spanning seven partnerships, the eight associations are Stonewater and Guinness Partnership, which will work together on one partnership; Platform Housing Group (formed from the recent merger of Waterloo Housing and Fortis Living); Optivo; Southern Housing Group; Orbit; Thirteen; and Vivid.

Together they will secure a total of £653m in funding from the Affordable Homes Programme, through Homes England, to deliver an additional 13,475 affordable homes by March 2022.

This will include homes for social rent in areas of high affordability pressures, Homes England said.

The partnerships follow the first eight strategic partnership deals announced in early July, and bring the total number of additional affordable homes that will be delivered to 27,755.

Unlock public and private land where the market will not, to get more homes built where they are needed
Ensure a range of investment products are available to support housebuilding and infrastructure, including more affordable housing and homes for rent, where the market is not acting
Improve construction productivity
Create a more resilient and competitive market by supporting smaller builders and new entrants, and promoting better design and higher-quality homes
Offer expert support for priority locations, helping to create and deliver more ambitious plans to get more homes built
Effectively deliver homeownership products, providing an industry standard service to consumers.

Communities secretary James Brokenshire, said: “This government is committed to delivering 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s and help more people get on the housing ladder. Homes England is at the heart of these plans.

“I welcome their comprehensive vision that sets out how through their powers and expertise they will maximise government investment to deliver the homes communities need.”

Nick Walkley, chief executive of Homes England, said: “The new Homes England is all about making homes happen – and our new five-year plan sets out our ambitious new approach. We are committing to boosting housing supply, productivity, innovation, quality, skills and modern methods of construction to help make a more diverse and resilient market. In return, we are calling for partners and the wider industry who share our ambition to challenge traditional norms and build better homes faster.

Sir Edward Lister, chair of Homes England, said: “Ultimately, we need to disrupt the housing market. Homes England plans to be bold, creative and think big. We hope the whole of the housing sector – big and small, up and down the country – will join us for the next five years and beyond.”

Partnership of partners
Under the plans, Stonewater and Guinness Partnership will combine forces to deliver one of the seven strategic partnerships. They will receive funding to begin building 4,500 additional affordable homes by 2022, the associations revealed today.

As a result of the certainty of grant funding from Homes England, “both partners will be able to enter into longer-term commitments to buy additional land, targeting areas of greatest housing need,” the associations said in a joint statement today, adding that it will enable them to “extend and accelerate their development plans, bringing forward the building of affordable and social housing”.

Nick Harris, Stonewater’s chief executive, said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Homes England and Guinness. The funding will add to Stonewater’s already significant development programme and brings us closer to our vision of everyone having a place to call home.

“We welcome the government’s commitment to tackling the housing crisis and this is a great example of how collaboration within the sector can help deliver that promise.”

Catriona Simons, Guinness Partnership’s chief executive, said: “Guinness is delighted to be working with Homes England and Stonewater. Our vision is to create great homes, where people are proud to live.

“This funding means we can extend our development programme and do more to fulfil that vision. We welcome the government’s commitment to working with housing associations to address the housing crisis, and we are pleased to be working with Stonewater to make a real difference.’’