Bovis Homes is on schedule to deliver the first affordable homes to be completed nationally through The Housing Corporation’s groundbreaking New Partnerships in Affordable Housing (NPiAH) Programme.

In advance of schedule, Bovis Homes expects to hand-over early next year, 39 apartments for older people to ‘Lifetime Homes’ standard to Walsall Housing Group (whg) as the first part of the high-profile Pleck Regeneration, Walsall.

Back in 2005 The Housing Corporation launched NPiAH, a pilot programme which sought to encourage private sector organisations to bid for Social Housing Grant (SHG) to build affordable homes. Bovis Homes was one of only four companies approved by The Housing Corporation to receive grant funding through this programme. Bovis Homes is on target to be the very first of these companies to achieve affordable completions delivered through this revolutionary new funding route.

Recently, The Housing Corporation has massively expanded this mixed economy of affordable housing development partners. The Corporation has recently announced that its number of private sector partners will increase to 31 organisations.

Stephen Baines, Director, Partnership Housing for Bovis Homes Central Region explains: “This is an important first for Bovis Homes, The Housing Corporation and the sector as a whole. It represents a brand new way of delivering affordable housing through partnership working – and the support of whg and Walsall Council has been instrumental in achieving this transformation.”

At the Pleck Regeneration launch event Steve Douglas, Acting Chief Executive of the Housing Corporation, praised the project partners for producing a first-class scheme that could act as ‘a beacon’ for others to follow. He said “This is an excellent example of a regeneration project in which all the partners are working together for the same goal.”

“The fact that planning permission for the whole regeneration – 223 homes - was granted in less than nine weeks is a tribute to Walsall Council and all the partners involved in the planning and design. This is a regeneration scheme that others can emulate across the country and I would like to congratulate everyone involved and I look forward to returning in 18 months time to see the progress and transformation.”

Liz Walford, Group Chief Executive of whg said: “I am delighted that Bovis Homes and whg have used this innovative funding stream to secure regeneration for the people of Pleck.”

Bovis Homes has already achieved high standards for its work at the site, including ‘Ecohomes Excellent’, ‘Lifetime Homes’ and ‘Secured by Design’. In addition, Bovis Homes, together with whg, is promoting a training and employment programme to enable local people to benefit from the regeneration.

The homes are scheduled to be ready for occupation in January 2008.

Email: anna@beacon-pr.co.uk