Member Article

Housing plan a milestone for former colleagues

Plans for 73 new high quality homes in Sheffield will complete a memorable circle for two men involved in removing properties from the site over a decade ago.

Steve Birch, then working with the council’s housing department, was involved with local Cllr. Tony Damms, in finding better homes for those living on the site.

The 1950s pre-fabricated Malthouses homes, that once stood in Mansel Crescent, Mansel Road and Mansel Avenue, Parson Cross, were built as part of a national drive to develop large numbers of new homes after the second world war. The temporary properties were approaching the end of their safe life and were no longer fit for habitation in the long term.

Whilst Cllr. Damms still represents the Southey Ward on Sheffield City Council, Steve is now Interim Project Director with Sheffield Housing Company (SHC), a joint venture company established by the council with private sector construction partner Keepmoat Homes and Great Places Housing Group, to deliver regeneration projects on 23 sites around the city.

This month the company has applied for permission to build new homes on the Malthouses site, as part of a 15-year plan to deliver 2,300 spacious, high quality and adaptable homes for sale and rent in Sheffield.

Steve said: “This area is significant to me as, when I worked in housing regeneration at the council, I spent a lot of time supporting the residents who lived in the prefabricated properties to find new, suitable homes. It is rewarding to now be involved in plans which will help to revive the area and if the planning application is successful, bring much needed housing to this part of Parson Cross.”

Councillor Paul Wood, Executive Member for Housing, Roads and Waste Management said: “This is another important step in Sheffield’s journey towards providing much needed new homes for Sheffield families. We’re very pleased to see these plans for this area of the city and it’s so good to see that currently underused land will be used for this development.”

Once complete, the Malthouses site would offer a mixture of two to four bedroomed homes. At present these are all expected to be for private sale to address a shortfall in the neighbourhood, though SHC continues to consider options to deliver affordable homes where possible.

Since it commenced building, six years ago, SHC has completed nearly 1,000 homes across the city, around 80% of which have been sold to first time buyers and families. It has created 75 apprenticeships, over 800 jobs and spent more than £80 million with local supply businesses.

Over £50,000 has been pledged to public art and community initiatives; £20,000 has been spent supporting local schools and backing for open pathways to work for students, while university links provide graduates with work experience. There has been sponsorship for, or attendance at, many community events.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Paul Dobbie .