New home for social landlord

One of Newcastle’s oldest landlords marked a move from the city centre to Gateshead at a special event at Riverside North East’s (RNE) new office at The Watermark.

The social landlord, which this year celebrated 80 years in Newcastle, is expanding its business with a planned £32million investment over the next two years to provide 300 more affordable homes for people in the North East.

Riverside North East has developed since its early years as Newcastle and Whitley Housing Trust to manage housing as far afield as Middlesbrough, Hull, York and Scunthorpe. Now part of The Riverside Group – the national housing and regeneration organisation – it is responsible for one third of the Group’s growth, providing many more homes, including sheltered and supported accommodation for vulnerable people.

Steve Ward is director of Riverside North East. He said: “Since we became a subsidiary of The Riverside Group two years ago we have invested £32million and expanded our properties from 950 to 1,600. We are looking forward to building many more new affordable homes for people in the North East, Yorkshire and Humberside.”

To mark the occasion Professor John Tarn, The Riverside Group’s board chair presented the North East team with a commemorative picture of the Angel of the North.

Steve Ward added: “We are delighted with our new base, close to the Metro Centre. It’s far more accessible than our office in Jesmond, and marks a new era for us as a social housing provider.”