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West Midlands associations mull joint development
A group of housing associations in the West Midlands is exploring the potential for joint development, following the launch of a new partnership.
Twelve housing associations joined the new West Midlands Housing Association Partnership, which launched earlier this month to provide a joint lobbying voice ahead of devolution to the region’s combined authority.
The partnership is in its formative stages, with the first formal meetings due in the coming weeks, but one of the early ideas being explored is joint development.
Gemma Duggan, external affairs manager for the West Midlands at the National Housing Federation (NHF), which has assisted with the partnership, said: “It’s very early days, but one of the things that has been talked about is could associations come together for development.”
Amanda Tomlinson, chief executive of Black Country Housing, added: “Joint development is among the things we wanted to explore. The partnership is about coming together to see what the combined authority wants to achieve and how we can best help with that.”
The associations hope they could deliver efficiencies and build more homes by working jointly, whether in formal joint ventures or more informal partnerships.
They are coming together to help the combined authority deliver housing ambitions following a devolution deal which includes powers to boost housing supply and the potential devolution of housing funds.
The associations have identified rent flexibility as an early lobbying target.
They also aim to contribute to other policy areas following devolution such as health and employment and have nominated spokespeople to lead discussions in these areas.
The partnership is loosely modelled on the Greater Manchester Chief Executives Group which has played a similar role amid devolution to Greater Manchester.
The associations are WM Housing Group, Orbit, Midland Heart, WHG, Bromford, Accord, Wrekin Housing Trust, Pioneer Group, Black Country Housing Group, Sanctuary, Longhurst Group and Waterloo Housing Group. It is chaired by Kevin Rodgers, chief executive of WM.
The 12 associations own a total of 120,000 homes in the authority area and is open to any associations from the region to join.
