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Housing association buys 1,175 homes from Clarion in the North East
The country’s largest housing association, Clarion Housing Group, is continuing its programme of offloading stock to drive efficiencies, selling 1,175 homes in South Shields and Newcastle to Riverside.
Riverside – which has 56,000 homes – revealed today that it had completed the deal, which will see it take on the Clarion homes, which include general needs housing as well as some retirement and supported living housing units.
In total Riverside has bought 936 Clarion homes in South Shields and 251 in Newcastle.
Clarion confirmed that this meant all of its homes and associated assets in Newcastle and South Tyneside had been transferred to Riverside.
The deal is the latest example of stock rationalisation by Clarion, which said in 2017 that it intended to sell up to 10,000 units over the coming years in a bid to shrink its geographical footprint.
Last year the association sold 154 homes in the Staffordshire area to Stafford and Rural Homes and agreed a deal to sell 306 properties to Preston-based Community Gateway Association.
The closing of the latest deal ends a four-month period of consultation for residents living in the homes. Riverside was named preferred bidder for the homes late last year.
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Inside Housing has asked Riverside for a breakdown of the number of homes in each area and a value for the deal. However, Riverside said it would not disclose the sum paid.
Sarah Paton, regional director for the North at Riverside, said: “We’re delighted to welcome so many new customers to the Riverside family in the North East.
“The reception we received at the resident consultation events we held with Clarion was extremely positive and we’re looking forward to building a relationship with them over the coming weeks and months.
“We intend to deliver on our vision in the area – transforming lives and revitalising neighbourhoods.”
Clare Miller, group chief executive at Clarion, said: “I am delighted that Riverside has been chosen, in close partnership with our residents, as the new landlord for our homes in Newcastle and South Shields.
“Riverside has been working very hard with us to ensure a smooth transition for residents and is already laying the groundwork for a great relationship with them.”
The Riverside and Clarion deal is the biggest stock rationalisation deal agreed in the sector since The Guiness Partnership and Paradigm Housing laid out plans to swap 2,898 homes last June.
