Partner Article

Partnership brings Oldham housing back on-stream

A partnership in Oldham between the council and Great Places Housing is transforming 33 empty houses to become family homes.

The news, which coincides with a campaign to make use of empty homes across Greater Manchester, is another step forward in the on-going regeneration of the Werneth district.

The local authority launched a scheme to bring these houses back into use after the Government announced Housing Market Renewal Funding for the area would be stopped in 2011.

Following consultation, a plan was agreed, with one of the key elements being the refurbishment of three blocks of properties into affordable housing. Great Places would be the registered provider.

The Council secured Empty Homes Programme Funding and work started in April 2013 with the first homes due for completion next month. The scheme will be completed by March 2014.

Great Places are now converting 33 two-up two-down homes into 21 properties with two, three and four bedrooms. They will be let to local families.

Great Places’ contractor, D J Hughes, has employed several local people to work on the refurbishments and a small number of safety trained work experience students from Oldham College have joined the team to gain an insight into working in the construction industry. Their placements were organised by Great Places who also help to get local people into jobs and training.

Councillor Dave Hibbert, Cabinet Member for Environment and Housing, said: “I’m pleased we’ve been able to work co-operatively with Great Places to bring these houses back into use.

“Once HMR funding was so suddenly withdrawn by the Government we knew we had to respond and this project meets the needs of families by bringing homes that were empty, and also blighting the community, back into use.

“Through the Get Oldham Working scheme we are committed to creating 2,015 employment opportunities by 2015 and this development is a great example of this initiative in action.

The project has created training opportunities for students and will stand them in good stead when they come to be looking for work. I hope that they will be full of pride when they walk past the finished scheme in years to come.“

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .