Mayor Richard Parker’s mission to kickstart the biggest social housing programme the West Midlands has seen in decades has gained further momentum with the announcement of another major investment.
The Mayor joined construction workers at the Port Loop ‘island community’ in Edgbaston, Birmingham to confirm a £1.7m funding deal for 124 social and affordable homes on five acres of derelict industrial land.
The investment comes after 6,520 West Midland households, including more than 13,000 children, started the New Year living in temporary accommodation as the region continues to suffer from a lack of affordable homes.
According to the combined authority, more than 60,000 people across the West Midlands are currently on housing waiting lists.
Mayor Richard Parker inside one of the new social homes under construction at Port Loop, Birmingham
The Mayor said: “Far too many families in our region are stuck waiting for a safe and decent home. This funding for Port Loop will deliver over 100 new social homes on top of the 141 I confirmed for Digbeth only last month.
“Since I took office more social homes are being delivered by the WMCA than ever before. But this is just the start of my plans to tackle the region’s housing crisis with more to be announced in the coming months.
“I’m turbocharging the construction of social and affordable housing to give people the stability and security they need in their lives. Everyone deserves a safe place to call home, and I’m focused on building the houses our communities urgently need.”
Sunita Kaur Singh has just moved into her new social home after spending years in temporary accommodation
Singh said: “Moving from place to place, going from temporary accommodation to women’s refuges and back into temporary accommodation is absolutely heartbreaking.
“When I first stepped into this place I was overwhelmed and broke down in tears, I was so happy I had finally got somewhere. When I told my children they thought I was lying because it was so nice. They said ‘take us to our real property’ – I said ‘this is your home now’ – they couldn’t believe it.
“Getting this house feels like the answer to all my prayers. I am so happy. I never want to move from here.”
The Mayor has set a target of 20,000 new social homes over the next decade, while training local people in the skills they need to get jobs building those homes.
Only last month he announced a multi-million-pound investment into a residential tower scheme in Digbeth, Birmingham which will see 55% of the new properties classed as affordable with 141 being social homes for rent and 127 for shared ownership.
Once completed, the new social housing at Port Loop, which is being built by Keon Homes at a cost of £34m, will be managed by Midland Heart, one of the region’s oldest and biggest housing associations. Of the 124 new homes, 103 will be available for social rent and 21 for shared ownership.
Glenn Harris, chief executive of Midland Heart, said: “It’s great to be joined by the Mayor to see progress at this iconic development. This significant investment in social housing, supported by strategic partnership funding from Homes England, combined with our strong partnership with Keon Homes, will see 124 high quality, energy efficient homes handed over to local people who need them.
