£5.5 million ‘Kickstart’ for house building

Council plans for new affordable housing received a boost after the Government awarded two developers over £5.5 million to restart three schemes in Heywood and Middleton.

The money comes from the first round of the Government’s Kickstart Programme, a £450 million pot of money, managed by the Homes and Community Agency, that will get over 150 stalled housing developments across the country back on track and builders back on site.

Countryside Properties Limited and Lovell Partnerships Limited will now use the £5.5 million to build 153 new homes in the borough on three sites at Unity Mill and Victory Works in Heywood and Windermere Park in Middleton. Of the 153 houses, 93 will be affordable housing for first time buyers and for rent.

The Council worked closely with both developers and Guinness Northern Counties Housing Association in Heywood and Riverside Pennine Housing Association in Middleton to secure the large number of affordable homes on the schemes.

Rochdale Council’s cabinet member for housing, Councillor Doreen Brophy-Lee said: “The council has ambitious plans to that will see many more affordable houses built right across the borough. So the announcement that the borough has got over £5.5 million from the first round of Kickstart is fantastic news.

“It allows developers to start on sites where vital new house building has been delayed because of the national downturn in the housing market and comes hard on the heels of building work starting in Rochdale on the first council housing for more than 20 years.

“There will be a good mix of homes too, with affordable homes for rent alongside homes for sale. Many of the homes for sale will be for first time buyers, people who need a new home because of a relationship breakdown or because their family home is overcrowded.”

The Council is now supporting developers to prepare bids for further Kickstart funding after the Government recently opened the second round of the scheme to potential bidders. The Council will be looking to secure the provision of affordable housing on schemes which are submitted in the second round of bidding.