£1m boost to kickstart delayed Walsall housing scheme
Partially-completed new housing is to be demolished to kick-start work to get a delayed council homes scheme in Walsall over the line.
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker has provided £1 million funding for the development on the former eyesore scrap yard in Hollyhedge Lane.
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Work stopped more than 18 months ago when the contractor ran into financial difficulties and stopped work, entering administration shortly afterwards.
Whg, the long-term investor, social landlord and owner of the site, has now been able to appoint Lovell Partnerships to complete the development.
The site had been mothballed since construction work halted in March 2024, and bosses said two of the three partially built apartment blocks will need to be demolished and rebuilt by Lovell Partnerships.
The scheme is now expected to be completed by spring 2027.
When finished, the scheme will provide 71 social rent homes owned and managed by whg, providing much needed affordable housing for local people.
Latest figures for the region show more than 65,335 households on social housing waiting lists with 7,450 households, including 14,976 children, currently living in temporary accommodation.
Mr Parker said he wants the West Midlands to build 2,000 social rent homes every year by 2028 to help tackle the region’s affordable housing crisis.
He said: “Being unable to afford a safe, secure home blights lives and prevents people from achieving their full potential.
“So, schemes like this one, that provide more social rent housing, are critical to getting people out of temporary accommodation and off waiting lists.
“I’ve made the construction of more social rent housing a top priority because I’ve seen first-hand how it can change lives for the better by providing the springboard families need to get on in life.”
Rebecca Bennett Casserly, whg’s corporate director of development, said: “The construction of this scheme has been complex to bring back to site, and we’re grateful for the support of the WMCA, Homes England and Walsall Council in helping to overcome the challenges and move things forward.
“Restarting work means we can now focus on delivering high-quality, affordable homes that will make a real difference to people who need them most.”
Stuart Penn, regional managing director for Lovell, added: “This scheme is a prime example of why investing in long-term partnerships is essential to reaching regional housing targets.
“Having an already established relationship with whg and the WMCA has meant we’ve been able to work closely to reach a resolution that results in more high-quality, much needed housing being created in the area.
“Following extensive surveying of the original work undertaken, refining designs and costs and securing the current site, we’re ready to get started on the build. Now, we’re looking forward to working with the partners to bring this scheme to fruition.”
