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A new 3,300-home housing association based in Bristol has made a commitment to deliver 1,000 “eco-friendly” homes over the next five years.
Brighter Places, which was formed out of a merger between Solon South West and United Communities, has announced a five-year programme to invest £10m in stock improvements alongside its commitment to deliver 1,000 new homes.
The programme will also see the new landlord overhaul its repairs process and introduce a new annual home safety MOT.
Brighter Places was launched last week, almost one year after Solon South West and United Communities agreed to merge following a period of talks.
Anna Klimczak, formerly interim chief executive of United Communities, has been appointed chief executive of the new organisation, while James Taylor, who served as joint chair for United Communities and Solon, will stay on as chair.
One resident has joined the board of Brighter Places and residents will also form a new engagement panel, which will monitor the landlord’s performance and help shape its future, the association said.
Ms Klimczak said: “Providing better services for our residents was the driving force behind Solon and United Communities uniting as Brighter Places, and we will be prioritising service improvements for our residents.
“We will also deliver more and better homes for Bristol and the surrounding areas by investing £10m more in home improvements and delivering 1,000 new, eco-friendly homes by 2025.
“We will work in partnership with communities, agencies and groups to make a real difference across the communities we serve. Residents will be at the heart of everything we do as we build a better future and overcome challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic.”
Mr Taylor said: “Both organisations have a proud history of serving communities in Bristol and the surrounding area, providing homes and security for many thousands of families over the years.
“Housing associations face increasingly tough circumstances, economic, financial and social. We have looked at all options in detail and have found we can do more and better together than we can do as separate organisations.
“Our united approach will have substantial benefits for our communities, for our colleagues and for the city of Bristol and beyond and I know that Brighter Places will be a housing association that residents can be proud to call their own.”
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