Orwell welcomes programme to boost social and affordable housing

Orwell Housing Association has welcomed progress on the Government’s “once-in-a-generation” programme to deliver 300,000 social and affordable homes across England.

Homes England has announced the 33 strategic partners that will help deliver the first phase of their £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. The initiative is expected to provide 70,000 new homes over the next decade, forming part of the Government’s wider commitment to tackle the housing crisis.

Orwell Housing Association Chief Executive Wendy Evans-Hendrick described the announcement as positive news for the housing sector.

She said: “Access to high-quality affordable and social housing is essential for communities across the country.

“The Social and Affordable Homes Programme will be warmly welcomed by the sector and will play an important role in helping to meet growing demand for housing.

“It will also provide the confidence many organisations need to accelerate development plans that rely on this vital funding.”

While smaller and medium sized housing associations, such as Orwell, were not included in the initial strategic partner announcement, they will still be able to access funding through Homes England’s Continuous Market Engagement (CME) programme.

Orwell Housing Association has successfully secured CME funding in previous years, helping the organisation achieve its target of delivering more than 100 new affordable and social homes annually.

Wendy added: “As a local, community-focussed housing provider we remain heavily invested in building the right homes, in the right place for the communities in which we work.

“Locally based associations like ourselves have a key role to play in making sure the need for housing is met across the region.

“Our mission is ‘together we make a difference’ and by collaborating and working in partnership with our local authorities, other housing associations and the government, we can help deliver the homes our local communities so desperately need.”

In total, Orwell manages more than 4,200 properties across Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridge and Essex, providing homes for more than 8,000 residents, while also managing 14 extra care schemes across the region.