New era for Sheffield as council unveils partnership to build 2,300 homes

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Housing

Sheffield Housing Company (SHC) - a new partnership between Sheffield City Council, Keepmoat Ltd and Great Places Housing Group - has today submitted plans to build more than 300 homes.

The newly-formed company plans to build a total of 2,300 new homes over 15 years to create "successful neighbourhoods and thriving communities" across the city and surrounding area.

The new homes in Phase One are located in the neighbourhoods of Parson Cross, Shirecliffe and Norfolk Park. Building on the first schemes at Falstaff (Parson Cross) and Norfolk Park (Park Spring Drive) is scheduled to begin in July, 2012. Shirecliffe will start the following year. A total of 305 new homes including 25 for Affordable Rent will be built: 142 at Falstaff, 116 at Norfolk Park and 47 at Shirecliffe.

Over the next 15 years, the remaining 2,000 new homes will be built in the north and south of the city, located in the neighbourhoods of Fir Vale, Manor, Manor Park, Arbourthorne and more in Parson Cross, Shireciffe and Norfolk Park. The second phase of development is scheduled to start on site in October 2014.

SHC says the new homes will be high quality and energy efficient. The homes in Phase One are available for sale and rent, with many built to mobility and wheelchair standards, in a scheme which will create new open spaces and help to build real communities, bringing together people from a variety of backgrounds.

Stephen Porter, chief executive at Great Places Housing Group, said: “This is exciting news for the people of Sheffield and marks the first step toward turning SHC’s plans into reality. The scheme will be well-designed and built to the highest standards, creating affordable much-needed homes for the city.”

Eugien Jaruga, partnerships director with Keepmoat, said:  “After all the talking and preparing we are almost there.  We hope to be on site as soon as possible, changing Sheffield neighbourhoods and creating communities in which people want to live.  We’ll deliver new homes, jobs and training opportunities to help kick start economic activity and create a sense of hope and pride.”

Councillor Harry Harpham, Sheffield City Council’s Cabinet Member for Homes and Regeneration, said: “It’s great to see things moving forward with Sheffield Housing Company. I’m delighted that even in a time of economic hardship, we’re able to find innovative ways to build houses in the areas where regeneration is needed the most.

“This is a 50:50 partnership between the council and the private sector, and as well as building vitally important new homes in the city this work will also boost the local economy by awarding contracts to local small and medium community enterprises.”

How the Sheffield Housing Company operates

The Sheffield Housing Company is a partnership organisation with 50 percent of its shares owned by us and 50 percent owned by a consortium of Keepmoat Ltd and Great Places Housing Group (jointly called ‘Keepmoat Great Places’) as the private sector partner.

The council will invest its land in the company and Keepmoat Great Places will invest money to match the value of the land we put in. If necessary, the company would then borrow any additional money to fund the house building programme. The profits and risks are shared equally between us and our partner.

The two partners will work together to use their different expertise to jointly deliver new homes for private sale, shared ownership and affordable for rent.

The council will define quality and sustainability standards for the homes and the company’s proposals will need to meet these standards, as well as requirements for affordable homes before the land can be drawn down by the company. Different sizes of homes and a variety of tenures will be built to attract mixed communities to the areas.

The Sheffield Housing Company is structured through the two shareholders and a Board of Directors drawn from each of the parties as well as having an independent Chair of the Board, and a management team employed by the Sheffield Housing Company itself.