Partners appointed to deliver social housing

CHESHIRE East Council has appointed two social housing landlords to help deliver up to 50 new affordable homes across the borough.

The Council is planning to increase the amount of affordable housing in the borough by putting some of its own land assets for use.

It launched a procurement exercise to find a housing partner for four schemes with a value of up to £46m back in July last year covering two sites in Macclesfield, a derelict sheltered housing block in Knutsford and a former care home in Crewe.

The council said that 14 social housing organisation registered an interest and that five were shortlisted. It finally chose Equity Housing Group to develop the Macclesfield and Knutsford projects and Harvest Housing to bring forward the scheme in Crewe.

It expects that all of the homes will be built by early 2014.

Councillor Jamie Macrae, cabinet member with responsibility for prosperity, said: “The provision of affordable housing is a key priority for the council and this announcement is really good news for the people of Cheshire East.

“This particular scheme enables the council to invest its assets in partnership with the housing sector, to provide much-needed affordable housing and provide an income to the council for re-investment in future housing provision.”