JV to build 150 Midlands homes a year

Around 150 new affordable homes a year are set to be built in the Midlands, thanks to a partnership between Midland Heart housing association and new housing specialist Partner.

The two companies have agreed a memorandum of understanding to work together to source land, gain planning permission, and build around 150 homes per year.

The developments will include affordable rented homes, as well as shared ownership properties to help first time buyers get onto the property ladder.

Midland Heart and Partner already have a track record of working together. In May the joint venture welcomed the first residents to a new £8.5m joint development at Bagworth in Leicestershire.

Midland Heart chief executive Glenn Harris said: “This is an important new agreement that further cements our already very strong relationship with Partner.

“As a social housing landlord, capitalising on the expertise and resources of an established and respected developer is crucial to helping us realise our ambition to build 3,000 new affordable homes by 2024.”

Last week, Partner’s parent company Fastflow announced it was joining forces with United Living.

Leigh Cresswell, managing director of Partner, added: “We are delighted to have secured this agreement with Midland Heart to help deliver new homes across the Midlands.

“The news comes at a very exciting time for our business as the Fastflow Group and United Living combine to increase the group’s capacity to support its clients to provide new and well-maintained housing.”