We've become lead partners for Tameside Council alongside other major landlords to deliver Tameside Council’s Housing Strategy. The Tameside Registered Provider Partnership held its first meeting at Tameside One on 14 March as the Council launched its Housing Strategy to shape the borough’s housing provision over the next five years.
The strategy embodies aspirations outlined in the Council’s Corporate Plan with the aim of making Tameside one of the best places to grow up, get on and grow old. Its vision is that sustainable growth will shape a balanced market that provides good quality and affordable housing to meet the needs of all residents.
The Partnership is a key part of the strategy, bringing together Housing Providers working with Homes England, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Council to invest in and deliver new housing.
It aims to: deliver new homes and specialist housing; create a better quality private rented sector market; support social value, a low carbon society and homelessness prevention; and help improve health.
Irwell Valley Homes Chief Executive Sasha Deepwell said: "Tameside is a key strategic area for us. We already own over 1000 homes locally and are currently building more affordable homes to meet the growing demand.
"As well as building new homes, we're investing in our existing homes and the communities we serve to ensure people can access good quality, affordable homes as well as support to help them to live well.
"By working together with Tameside Council and other housing providers we can realise our collective ambitions - providing new affordable homes people need, reducing homelessness, lowering the borough's carbon footprint, investing in neighbourhoods, and providing employment and training opportunities for local people."
Tameside Council Leader Councillor Brenda Warrington and Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Employment Cllr Ged Cooney attended the launch. Cllr Warrington said: “I was delighted to attend the Housing Strategy launch and meet the Registered Providers who we’ll be working closely with to deliver the housing that Tameside needs.
“This collaborative, partnership working will give Tameside the fresh impetus needed to ensure we provide good quality and affordable housing that fulfils our residents’ requirements.”
Cllr Cooney said: “The partnership will help achieve our ambition to build longer-term relationships in the housing sector, create solutions to our challenges and deliver with a focus on the needs of local people.
“It will deliver the type of housing we need, in the locations we need it, to rebalance communities and demonstrate that new homes are truly affordable to local people.”
The Registered Providers own more than 20,000 properties in Tameside between them and include: Irwell Valley Homes, Jigsaw Homes, Onward Homes, Ashton Pioneer Homes, Regenda, Your Housing, Mosscare St Vincent’s Housing Group, Arcon Housing Association, Great Places Housing, Johnnie Johnson Housing, Southway Housing Trust, Progress Housing Group, Trafford Housing Trust and First Choice Homes Oldham.
The Partnership will now meet quarterly. The Council will also give support by creating a Developer Hub, an online tool to help developers and Registered Providers better understand the housing development process in Tameside.