Housing associations and construction supply chain firms say they are ready and willing to support Mayor Steve Rotheram’s plans to build 16,000 new homes with £700m secured from Government. Tony McDonough reports
Days after he secured £700m from the Government to build new affordable and social city region homes, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram gets the backing of the local supply chain.
Both housing associations and construction supply chain firms have told LBN they are ready and willing to fully support the Mayor’s ambitions to construct 16,000 new homes and urged him to ensure they are built to the highest standards of thermal efficiency.
This latest cash injection, part of a £39bn programme, will add to the city region’s previous investment of £60m into brownfield sites which will see the construction of 4,000 homes.
And the Combined Authority will also receive £13.8m to enable 555 new homes to be built, tearing down crumbling buildings and clearing old car parks and disused industrial land to create communities on derelict, brownfield sites.
An affordable home is one where the rent and sale price is no more than 80% of local market rates. For social housing the discount can be as much as 50%.
Liverpool City Region Housing Associations (LCRHA) is a powerful alliance of 22 housing associations. Chair Claire Griffiths said the announcement was “fantastic news”.
She stressed the Housing Associations in the region are ready and eager to collaborate with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and other partners such as Homes England, Local Authorities, developers and contractors.
“Liverpool city region needs a new generation of good quality affordable social housing and our members have the expertise and capacity to deliver that.
“This latest cash injection is fantastic news, and we have to make sure we get it right, delivering the right homes in the right places, that are affordable and warm and will serve communities for generations to come.
“This time around, we need to build not just new homes, but new communities. We need well insulated, net zero houses and apartments where people have access to green space and local amenities such as shops, schools and leisure facilities.
“Our members are already doing that across Liverpool city region. We now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revitalise the social fabric and we are ready to help the Mayor deliver that.”
Two Liverpool city region suppliers – window and door maker Warwick North West and construction and fire safety specialist, Frank Rogers, told LBN the £700m was potentially great news for the local supply chain.
Warwick chief executive Greg Johnson said: “At Warwick we have become the go-to supplier of windows and doors for the affordable housing sector in Liverpool city region and across the North West.
“Our 120-strong team manufactures Modus windows and doors. These don’t just meet but exceed the Government’s Future Homes Standards for thermal efficiency.
“And that has to be front and centre of any major local housebuilding programme. Fuel poverty has been a big problem for our communities in the last few years. We can tackle that by making sure new homes keep the heat in.
“In the dash to ‘build build build’ we cannot compromise quality for quantity. Social housing and affordable homes don’t have to be low quality. It’s important Mr Rotheram works with the local supply chain to make sure we get that right.”
Over more than 50 years, Frank Rogers has earned a reputation as being one of the most trusted names in the construction sector. Dean Rogers, managing director of the family firm, echoed Greg Johnson’s call on quality.
“£700m for new homes is to be welcomed and that is potentially a shot in the arm for the supply chain across Liverpool city region. I hope local firms benefit from it as much as possible.
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“At Frank Rogers our reputation extends well beyond Merseyside. Our expertise covers both new build and heritage conversions, and we are at the forefront of fire safety in residential buildings, a critical aspect in the wake of Grenfell.
“When it comes to where people and their families are living, quality matters. Thousands of new homes are needed, and they need to be built to the highest standards possible. Frank Rogers, and many others in the local supply chain, are up for that challenge.”