More than 200 homes retained for social housing in Perry Barr

More than 200 households on Birmingham City Council’s housing waiting list will soon be moving into newly built homes, as proposals for the Perry Barr Residential Scheme (PBRS) were approved.

The council is set to make a decision on nearly 1,000 homes within the scheme, and on 23 July, the cabinet approved plans to retain 213 newly built homes for council housing use.

A report said 23,000 people were waiting for social housing in the city and the 213 homes will now be filled by people currently in council-funded temporary accommodation.

Additionally, the sale of three plots within the Perry Barr Residential Scheme is being recommended for approval by the council’s property cabinet sub-committee. If approved, this will bring an additional 755 new apartments onto the market, most of which would be ready to be occupied.

Birmingham City Council has been set the challenge by commissioners to dispose of £750m worth of assets from its £2.4bn investment property portfolio, to pay back £1.255bn in Exceptional Financial Support (EFS). 

The former Birmingham City University campus site was initially earmarked for the 6,500 athletes and officials set to arrive in Birmingham in the summer of 2022 for the Commonwealth Games, but plans were scrapped as the village was not going to be ready in time.

Councillor Jayne Francis, cabinet member for housing and homelessness, added: “The decision to keep one of these plots to be used as council homes has been made after a detailed analysis of all possible options.

“It will boost the supply of homes for people in the city who are most in need, at a time when the number of people on the housing register has never been higher.”