Providing new homes and changing lives | News

Background

We set out an ambition in 2017 to develop 1,400 new homes in the five-year period between 2018 and 2023.

The homes would help to increase availability for people needing affordable housing, prevent homelessness and reduce the overcrowding which occurs in some households.

The most recent Government data suggests 8.7 per cent of people in social housing are in overcrowded households, while Census data from 2011 suggests there are around 5,000 overcrowded households across Bolton’s three parliamentary constituencies.

Similarly, it’s estimated around 1,500 households in Bolton are at risk of homelessness.

 

Progress

Since the start of the period, we’ve completed 339 homes across 26 new build schemes.

Construction is underway on 261 homes and the majority of these homes are expected to be completed within the next six months.

Looking forward, 186 sites are due to start construction within the next six months or soon after including a 68-home site at Lever Gardens and a 53-home site at Rivington Chase.

We also work with housebuilders to acquire suitable properties through section 106 criteria and 177 s106 homes are expected to be on or in contract in the next six months.

We’re working on identifying appropriate sites for further new homes to meet local people’s needs.

Modern methods of construction are being used, such as the 22 modular homes built off site and installed by crane at Victory Road in Little Lever. Each new home is also built with sustainability in mind, delivering properties with high energy performance ratings and therefore more affordable for tenants to heat.

Once completed, all these new homes for rent are advertised through www.homesforbolton.org.uk

 

Construction update

Sites due to complete by summer 2022, a total of 261 homes:

• Barton Road, Farnworth, 6 homes
• Berne Avenue, Horwich, 21 homes
• Campbell Street, Farnworth 60 homes
• Chorley Street, Bolton Town Centre, 66 homes
• Manchester Road, Kearsley, 24 homes
• Pine Street, Astley Bridge, 15 homes
• Withins Drive, Breightmet, 69 homes.

 

Sites due to start by March 2022 or soon after, a total of 186 homes:

• Lever Gardens, Little Lever, 68 homes
• Rivington Chase, Horwich, 53 homes
• Singleton Avenue, Horwich, 48 homes
• Wellington Street, Bolton Town Centre, 17 homes.

 

Insight

Jon Lord, our Group Chief Executive Officer, says: “The shortage of affordable housing is a national issue and we work alongside other social housing providers in Bolton and Greater Manchester to do what we can to meet local and regional demand.

“For thousands in Bolton, the housing crisis means that they can be at a greater risk of homelessness due to a lack of affordable housing options and many are living in overcrowded households that aren’t suitable or healthy for them.

“We need to provide more properties to give more people a warm, comfortable and sustainable home for them and their family to live in.

“New housing has to help people in a wide range of circumstances, which is why we’re developing a broad mix of new properties including homes for rent, some for shared ownership and supported housing. It’s about offering people a choice of good quality affordable homes in the areas where people need them most, and a range of property types from one-bedroom apartments to multi bedroom family homes.

“Each development has a positive impact on the local economy and creates job opportunities in the local construction industry. At the same time, increasing the supply of homes for rent and shared ownership benefits our current tenants. It generates income that we can reinvest to improve our older properties, provide important community services and keep rent levels affordable. We don’t do new build at the expense of existing properties. We spend around £38 million each year on tenants’ homes.”

“We’re happy to see new tenants moving in to new homes and we’re continuing to identify appropriate development sites and section 106 opportunities to keep progressing our development programme and help more people with housing needs. It will hopefully see a total of around 5,000 people living in a new and affordable home by 2023.”

 

Ailie Menai and her children, pictured, moved into their new home at Victory Road in Little Lever last year.

Ailie says: “I was living in a private rent before. It was an old house and there were problems with damp, particularly in the bathroom. My son has asthma so it wasn’t good for his health. I painted the bathroom but the damp still came through – my landlord didn’t tackle the problem at all.

“I put us on the waiting list for a housing association property about six years ago. Some houses came up but they were outside of the local area and I wanted to stay in Little Lever where my family and friends are, and where my children go to school.

“When I found out that I could move into a home on this new development, I was over the moon. It’s a three-bedroom house in a quiet cul-de-sac – which means it’s safer for my children to play out. I like that it’s modern and everything is new. You wouldn’t know it was a modular home; it just looks like any other newly built property.

“There’s a nice community spirit here too. The day I came to view the house, I met someone I used to work with who moved in a few doors down. And one of the mums from school now lives on the same road. We’re so happy to be here – I’ve waited six years to get a home like this, so I think I’ll be living here for a long time!”