Wirral Council partners with Homes England, the Combined Authority, housing association and private developers as it looks to build more ‘good-quality, affordable and sustainable housing’. Tony McDonough reports

Wirral Council has established a new Strategic Housing Partnership to increase the pipeline of “good-quality, affordable and sustainable housing” across the borough.

Good quality homes are in short supply across the UK and the Government has pledged to build 1.5m extra homes during this parliament. However, that target is looking shaky and it is being left to council and agencies on the ground to take action.

This latest partnership in Wirral, which recently had an application for a New Town turned down by Whitehall, has brought together Homes England, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, housing associations and private sector developers.

The group will work collectively to align funding opportunities, support regeneration priorities and help improve housing outcomes for residents.

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Paula Basnett, leader of Wirral Council said “Access to safe, good‑quality and affordable housing remains a challenge for many people.

“Strengthening partnership working across the region helps us coordinate investment, share expertise and support long‑term, sustainable communities. This new partnership is an important step toward improving housing choices for residents.”

The Strategic Housing Partnership will focus on:

• Improving access to affordable and suitable homes.
• Supporting regeneration and place‑making.
• Enhancing housing quality and standards.
• Strengthening coordination between public and private sector partners.
• Aligning programmes and investment to support better resident outcomes.

Liverpool City Region Housing Associations (LCHRA), a coalition of 23 housing providers across Merseyside, last week told LBN there was now a “golden opportunity’ to usher in a new era of housebuilding.

LCRHA chair Claire Griffiths said: “Our members have been investing in new affordable homes for many years, however the drive and push we are seeing now for accelerating and increasing delivery feels different.

“LCRHA’s have been working closely with the Combined Authority and Homes England to agree the short and medium term pipeline schemes to move forward with. We are now seeing multiple funding streams coming through and that is exactly what we need.”