Funding boost to help build more social homes in West Midlands

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker confirmed a £1.7 million funding deal to go towards the Port Loop ‘island community’ scheme in Edgbaston.

The whole programme will see the construction of 124 social and affordable homes on the five acres of derelict land.

To date, 105 houses have been completed on the site and the cash injection will see 12 modular houses being built off site and craned into place once they are ready.

Mr Parker said this is part of his plans to kick-start social house building across the region. having set a target of 20,000 new social homes over the next decade.

And it follows an announcement last month of a multi-million-pound investment into a residential tower scheme in Digbeth, Birmingham which will see 55 per cent of the new properties classed as affordable with 141 being social homes for rent and 127 for shared ownership.

The Mayor said the need for social housing is highlighted by stats which revealed 6,520 West Midland households, including more than 13,000 children, started the New Year living in temporary accommodation.

More than 60,000 people across the West Midlands are currently on housing waiting lists.

Mr Parker 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.”

Mother-of-three Sunita Kaur Singh spent 20 years in temporary accommodation trying to escape an abusive ex-partner and has just moved into a new social home.

She said: “Moving from place to place, going from temporary accommodation to women’s refuges and back into temporary accommodation is absolutely heart breaking.

“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.”

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: “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.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming the first tenants to Port Loop later this year, and seeing this site transform into a thriving community of affordable family homes, a stone’s throw from the city centre.”