Cheshire housing providers join North-west affordable homes consortium

A consortium of housing providers from across the North-west has welcomed three new members from Cheshire as it launches its programme to deliver more affordable homes in the region.

Poynton based Johnnie Johnson Housing, Macclesfield’s Peaks & Plains Housing Trust, and Chester based Muir Group, have all joined JV North, a consortium of some of the region’s largest housing associations whose members have collectively built over 8,000 affordable homes since forming in 2007.

The Cheshire housing providers join Bury Council, Community Gateway Association, One Manchester, Plus Dane Housing, Sovini, Stockport Homes with Stockport Council, Torus, Trafford Housing Trust, Weaver Vale Housing Trust and Wythenshawe Community Housing Group as JV North’s board members.

In April this year, JV North’s members committed to a £560 million framework that would see over 4,000 new homes constructed in the North-west between 2021 and 2026.

Johnnie Johnson Housing already has a development programme that will see it building 1,000 new affordable homes in the coming years. Lisa Johnson, Director of Development at the Poynton housing provider, said:

We are delighted to be joining JV North at a time when it is procuring a £560 million framework to build over 4,000 homes in the North of England.

“We have over 50 years’ experience in social housing and we aim to deliver affordable homes that cater for residents over the age of 55.

“With smart adaptions and resident safety being our main priority, we are looking forward to working with JV North to build safe, secure and affordable housing.”

Peaks & Plains Housing Trust is the newest member to join the consortium and it will build more than 200 new properties by 2023. Chief Executive Mark Howden said:

JV North is an important opportunity for us to explore alternative ways that we can provide much-needed quality homes as part of our commitment to create great places to live.”

Wayne Gales, who is JV North Chairman and Chief Executive of Weaver Vale Housing Trust, welcomed the three new additions to the consortium, saying:

JV North is growing all the time with likeminded organisations seeing the benefits of collaborating to address the housing crisis.

“The three new members will undoubtedly strengthen the consortium and have all cited the added benefits of sharing market intelligence as key factors in joining, in addition to securing Homes England grant, programme support and access to our contractors’ and consultants’ framework.”