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Flats intended for athletes in Commonwealth Games could be used as social housing
Birmingham City Council is considering acquiring flats originally built to house athletes in the 2022 Commonwealth Games for use as social housing.
The proposals for a block in the Perry Barr scheme, set out in a council report, could see 213 flats used to house people waiting for social homes.
The development, on the former Birmingham City University teaching campus, was approved in March 2020 as the intended site for the athletes’ village for the Commonwealth Games.
However, following development restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the estimated cost of fast-tracking completion, the council and the Commonwealth Games Committee decided to omit the scheme in August 2020.
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In July 2021, Birmingham’s cabinet approved a disposal strategy that included plot nine of the scheme to be private sale and build-to-rent.
According to the report, with Birmingham issuing a Section 114 notice in September 2023, the council has looked at the “options for disposal of the nearly complete plots six to nine and have received offers for plots or combinations of plots which are being considered”.
“However, alongside this consideration, cabinet [is] recommended to take the opportunity of retaining one block (plot nine) to use as general needs social housing, in order to meet the needs of residents waiting for available social housing,” it said.
The proposal to use the block for social housing is the preferred option in the report.
“With 23,000 people waiting for social housing in Birmingham, these units can be filled according to the allocation policy within a short time period, giving 213 people new homes, a portion of whom will currently be in council-funded temporary accommodation whilst they are waiting for social housing to become available,” it said.
According to the report, the council’s Housing Revenue Account has a budget for 213 homes per year, as well as Right to Buy funds that can be used to fund a portion of either acquisition or development of properties.
“This funding can be used to take on the 213 units in plot nine at Perry Barr phase one and offer as social housing, reducing the reliance on new build programmes planned to commence during the financial year,” it said.
Jayne Francis, cabinet member for housing and homelessness at the council, said: “The country is in the grip of a severe national housing crisis, one that means demand for accommodation in Birmingham has never been higher.
“The council has successfully managed to attract investment to deliver 968 new homes in Perry Barr, in north-west Birmingham. Subject to cabinet approval, a proportion of these will be available for council housing.
“The decision to keep one of these plots to be used as council homes has been made after a detailed analysis of all possible options.
“It will boost the supply of homes for people in the city who are most in need, at a time when the number of people on the housing register has never been higher.”
A decision on the proposals is due at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
In the middle of last month, plans for a 3,000-home mixed-use scheme in Birmingham city centre, being led by Lendlease, were approved.
Birmingham City Council’s planning committee signed off proposals for the £1.9bn project known as Smithfield Birmingham.
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