Partnership between Countryside and Midland Heart on track to exceed three-year target to deliver 1,000 affordable homes.
24th Jun 2021 - Developments
A pioneering partnership to address housing needs across the Midlands has celebrated its second anniversary with the UK’s leading mixed tenure developer, Countryside, and Midland Heart Housing Association, having brought 700 new homes to site in just two years.
The milestone marks the success of the framework agreement between Countryside and Midland Heart, which was launched in 2019 with a joint pledge to deliver 1,000 affordable family homes over three years.
With a combination of homes for affordable rent and affordable home ownership being built, the partnership forms a key part of Midland Heart’s pledge to create 4,000 new homes by 2025.
Reaching the end of its second year, the partnership now has 700 homes under construction with a further 200 in contract and an additional 300 in the pipeline across the East, West and South Midlands.
Developments delivered through the partnership also include 158 homes at Houlton in Rugby on the site of the former Rugby Radio Station where Urban & Civic is leading the creation of a brand-new community of 6,200 new homes across 1,200 acres.
Countryside and Midland Homes’ partnership also includes the delivery of 132 homes at the former Brierley Hill metal works in the Black Country and 47 homes at Kings Road in Birmingham where completion is scheduled in the summer.
Daniel McGowan, Chief Executive, Partnerships Midlands, Countryside, commented: “Having joined the business at the start of the year, it became immediately obvious to me that our partnerships model is one of Countryside’s greatest strengths, offering a collaborative means to address the pressing need for high quality housing.
“We share an ambition with Midland Heart to provide high quality living environments for families across the Midlands and what has been achieved in the past two years is a mark of our dedication to deliver much-needed affordable housing for those who need it most. I very much look forward to continuing our work with Midland Heart and building on our collective achievements in the coming years.”
We’re proud to be working in partnership with Countryside, bringing much needed affordable homes to families across the Midlands. Despite the challenges faced over the past year, it’s great to see the progress being made on our developments and our partnership go from strength to strength. We’re looking forward to welcoming many more families into our new homes this year and continuing to work in collaboration with Countryside.
Glenn Harris, Chief Executive at Midland Heart
Mike van den Berg, Senior Development Manager for Urban & Civic said: “We know through working closely with Rugby Borough Council on the development of Houlton, how important the delivery of high quality mixed tenure homes are in creating sustainable communities and supporting local growth for the town. We are delighted to be supporting Countryside and Midland Heart’s wider delivery across the region through our partnership at Houlton.”
The partnership is supported by Homes England, which will be providing grant funding from its continuous market engagement process to boost affordable housing numbers.
