“Countryside and Midland Heart have worked in partnership for many years, driven by a shared purpose to create new homes in which people can live happy, healthy and better lives. This common goal has enabled our two organisations to effectively work as one team to source land and find innovative ways to invest in and bring forward high quality and sustainable new homes across the Midlands.
“But our mutual values don’t end there. At Countryside we strive to build much more than just homes; we create sustainable communities that become neighbourhoods where every generation can thrive. Creating Places People Love is at the heart of our business, and this ethos has been the perfect foundation for our partnership with Midland Heart.
“In 2019 we launched our framework agreement with Midland Heart with a pledge to build 1,000 new homes across the Midlands over three years. We are now two years into that partnership agreement and we have 700 new homes under construction, 200 in contract and a further 300 in the pipeline. We’re very proud to have achieved so much in the past two years and this milestone has given us pause to reflect on the successes and learnings from our partnership.
“I firmly believe that the real success of our partnership is its longevity. Having worked closely, we understand one another; we have a synergy that can only come from working together for a long time. But another of our shared strengths is that we know our expertise, and crucially we know how to maximise them to achieve our shared purpose. Countryside is a leader in placemaking and regeneration and Midland Heart is a leader in the provision of housing and services that support local people. We know our specialisms; we complement one another and we share a great deal of trust, all of which are fundamental to finding the most efficient way of addressing the UK’s urgent housing needs.
“By working collaboratively with Midland Heart, we have been able to implement an accelerated strategy to bring new homes to the region, but it has also meant that these homes serve the needs of residents. Working in partnership gives a greater insight into every aspect of building new communities whether this relates to the design of the homes, the local context or any specific challenges facing a community. In our experience, the more collaboratively you work, the greater your chance of achieving your objectives, and our partnership with Midland Heart is a huge testament to this."
