Birmingham Municipal Trust boosts housing market
Birmingham City Council is in the process of developing 553 new homes as part of an ambitious house building scheme, which represents a return to large scale council house building that has not been seen in Birmingham for three decades.
Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor John Lines, made his ambitious pledge to provide 500 new affordable homes, year on year, at the launch of the council's Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust (BMHT), which was set up in early 2009.
The formation of BMHT in 2009 represented the most radical change in direction of council house building policy in a generation. The pledge to deliver 500 new homes was made during the onset of the recession and during a time when councils were collectively only delivering 375 new homes across the country (2008).
Yet one year on and building works were underway for new, sustainable family homes. In early 2009, BMHT started works on 129 new homes, which will be for social rent in Kings Norton, Hodge Hill, Handsworth and Balsall Heath. These homes will start to become available to Birmingham families later this month.
The second phase of house building began in March 2010, and will deliver 164 homes for rent and outright sale in Ladywood, Egg Hill, Saltley, Northfield, Soho and Ley Hill by March 2012.
Construction is also set to begin on another 260 homes for social rent and outright sale in Ingoldsby, Sheldon, Bartley Green, Handsworth, Longbridge and Tyburn. These homes will also be completed by 2012.
Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor John Lines said: “This is just the beginning for Birmingham. Under the previous Government the number of new homes being started slumped to the lowest levels since the 1920s, but we are determined to reverse that trend and meet the needs of our people.
“Birmingham is leading the way for one of the most ambitious house building projects in the country and I'm delighted that I will be able to welcome hundreds of our families to move into these wonderful new homes in the near future.
“I would like to pay a special thanks to officers responsible for the magnificent achievement. These are exceptional homes and will be built to level 4 in sustainability.”
As part of the council's drive to address worklessness, apprenticeship opportunities in the construction industry have been available as part of the house building programme. Young people have developed new skills with on the job training.
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Further information from Belinder Kaur Lidher on 0121 303 6969
Notes to editors
The council's Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust was set up in January 2009 as a means for providing new council homes outside the housing subsidy regulations. Leading the way in terms of providing new housing in the West Midlands, the Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust promotes housing in Birmingham and with the government.
