Co-operative establishes registered provider to purchase affordable homes

This includes 39 homes, which will all be let at social rent, along with laundries, common garden spaces and premises for three existing co-operative businesses that are currently renting privately in Stirchley.

SCD said on its website: “This is a huge milestone in our progression as a co-operative which we have been working towards over the past few years. Being a registered provider is very important as it means we will be eligible to access capital grant for the residential element of the scheme to buy the building from our partner GreenSquareAccord once the site reaches the stage of practical completion.

“We are really glad to have been working with RSH to strengthen our policies and processes as a team. We’ve learnt a lot from the process and will be incorporating those skills when it comes to managing the building.” 

The project plans were unanimously approved by Birmingham City Council in 2021. SCD then acquired the site from Seven Capital in August 2022 after securing funding from Homes England, West Midlands Urban Community Homes and Interreg North-West Europe CHARM.

The provider received a grant from the Homes England Community Housing Fund, a government scheme designed to foster community-led housing developments such as this. This fund enabled SCD to employ the various professionals needed to get its plans ready for submission.

West Midlands Urban Community Homes, which supports community-led housing in the region, and Interreg NWE CHARM, which aims to optimise the use and reuse of material and natural resources, have also provided funding for the development scheme.

In the period prior to construction, SCD received funding from Power to Change (through the Big Lottery Fund) for training and building capacity as a new organisation.

SCD said the grant money from Homes England makes the scheme viable and means the independent housing co-operative will be able to provide secure and affordable housing “long into the future”.

The RP said the next step involves collaborating with Birmingham City Council’s nomination team to prepare for social housing applications via Birmingham Choice.

SCD said it has finalised nomination agreements and is now moving forward with this process.