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Vistry and Bromford partner on 695-home site
House builder Vistry has announced a 695-home partnership with Bromford just days after it promised changes to its management team.
This new partnership with one of the UK’s largest housing associations will deliver 695 sustainable homes in Longbridge, south-west Birmingham, formerly home to the MG works.
This new development partnership comes just after Vistry has vowed to change its management team after discovering that build costs on nine of its projects had been understated by £115m.
Bromford will take on 250 of the proposed homes, which include 132 for social rent. An additional 118 homes will be available to part-buy, part-rent through Bromford’s shared ownership scheme.
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The rest of the homes will be split between the private rented sector and for homeownership in a development that will be a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments, and larger two, three and four-bedroom family houses.
Phil McHugh, managing director of Vistry North West Midlands, said: “We are thrilled to have acquired this site and to be working with Bromford on this exciting project that will contribute to Birmingham’s economic growth by providing new jobs and high-quality places to live.
“Like many major cities, Birmingham has a severe shortage of affordable homes; that’s something we’re aiming to address by going the extra mile to deliver affordable and social rent homes over and above what is required of us and delivering them at pace.
“We’re also hugely proud of the sustainability of the homes we’ll be providing, with features and construction methods that reduce their impact on the environment and will lower energy bills for future residents.”
The new homes will include air source heat pumps, PV panels and wastewater recovery will minimise water usage. All will be built using modern methods of construction at the Vistry Works East Midlands factory in Leicestershire.
Alice Phillips, regional development manager at Bromford, said: “With the work that’s already taken place at Longbridge and everything that’s planned over the years ahead, our future customers will have great prospects to live, work and thrive in these new homes and community.
“Providing 132 homes for social rent as part of this partnership will make a real difference to the lives of families who are currently waiting for affordable housing in Birmingham. And they’ll be living in some of the most energy-efficient homes we’ve ever built in the West Midlands thanks to all of the sustainability measures that will be installed.”
Professional services group Gateley supported the purchase from developer St. Modwen, as well as the development agreement and sale to Bromford.
Lauren Jeffrey, residential development senior associate at Gateley Legal, said: “The Longbridge site was previously brownfield land and holds significant historical importance as the former home to the MG Rover factory, as well as links to war activity.
“So, it’s brilliant to see the iconic location being given a new lease of life and developed into a community with much-needed housing, shops and offices.”
Before the build cost error was accounted for a few days ago, Vistry said last month that it was on track to build more than 18,000 homes this year, which would represent an increase of 12% on last year’s total of 16,118, and put the house builder significantly ahead of rival Barratt.
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