Birmingham Council housing trust to build 2,700 new homes

Birmingham City Council’s housebuilding arm has revealed plans to build more than 2,700 properties in the next decade.

In a report that went before the council’s cabinet earlier this month, the Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust said it aims to build 2,708 new homes by 2029 at an estimated cost of £346 million.

According to the report, the new properties will include a mix of house building styles featuring both traditional construction methods that will build larger family-style homes as well as the first phase of modular homes which allows the council to unlock previously unused, smaller sites.

The new properties will be constructed to lifetime homes standard, will benefit from highly efficient insulation, energy efficient boilers and heating systems and will feature Sustainable Drainage systems (SUDS) which will deal with any drainage issues and will promote bio diversity at each site.

The report comes out as the trust celebrates its 10th anniversary.

It has to date built 3,126, with a further 365 homes currently under construction, making it the largest authority housebuilder in the UK.

‘The national housing crisis is one of the biggest contributing factors causing homelessness right now in Birmingham,’ said cabinet member for homes and neighbourhoods, Cllr Sharon Thompson.

‘With the city’s population set to grow by a further 10% over the next 15 years, there is a pressing need to deliver more affordable, family housing within accessible locations to relieve the increasing burden. ‘I’m delighted that Birmingham City Council is leading the way in social housing and is moving forward with its ambitious plans for the next 10 years,’ added Cllr Thompson.

Mr M. Mohamed is from one of the families who earlier this year moved in to a new property.

‘My family and I had been on the housing waiting list for seven years,’ he commented.

‘There are eight people in my family and until earlier this year, we had been living in a two-bed flat. To be able to move into a modern four-bed family home where my children will have the space they need to grow up happy and healthy is a fantastic step forward.’

Photo by jarmoluk (Pixabay)