Manchester commits to building more affordable housing

Manchester City Council has committed to revising the overall number of homes to be delivered in the city from 20,000 to 32,000, meeting the right mix of housing to meet demand between April 2015 and March 2025.

A report outlining how the council will increase the number of affordable homes in Manchester is being heard by Economy Scrutiny committee, with the council pledging to deliver at least 6,400 affordable homes up to 2025. This meets the council’s 20 per cent affordable homes ambition for new housing delivery in the city.

Between April 2015 and March 2019, 1,044 new affordable homes were completed in the city, with a further 1,061 on site to be completed by March 2021.

In addition to using the city’s Housing Revenue Account, £55 million will be used to fund three affordable homes projects, delivering 465 homes in the coming years when the funding is fully approved.

The council’s Affordable Housing Fund – populated with s106 contributions – has already invested £2.4 million into affordable housing in the city, with nearly £342,000 in the fund ready to use.

Suzanne Richards, executive member for housing and regeneration, said: “Manchester has undoubtedly been in recovery for some time following the financial crash in 2008, but we hope to see a high water mark of new affordable homes over the next two years. We want Manchester to be a place where our residents can live in the type of neighbourhood that they want, with sustainable, low-carbon homes and long-lasting communities. Housing is the bedrock of this and we need to commit to delivering the homes that meet the needs of Manchester people.

“These affordable housing targets are ambitious – as they need to be – and we will work closely with our housing partners across the city, and Homes England, to ensure we can make them a reality.  Importantly for me, when thecouncil can use our own resources to build homes, these should be focused on delivering homes that are Local Housing Allowance or below to ensure they are accessible to those on the lowest incomes.”