Plans for community led housing in Salford have taken a major step forwards.

Salford City Council has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with Broughton Trust and the Inspiring Housing Community Land Trust to provide affordable homes for local people.

The MOU has been signed for two vacant sites – one at the former St Lukes Primary School in Weaste and the other at Irwell Valley Lower School in Irwell Riverside.

The agreement means the council will work in partnership with the community organisations to provide much needed affordable homes.

The two schemes will deliver 111 homes of which 69 will be owned by the Community led organisations consisting of one and two bedroomed apartments as well as two, three and four bedroomed homes. All proposals are subject to planning approval.

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “I am extremely excited to enter into this MOU and working with our partners.

“It is all part of our approach to involve communities in helping to shape the development of this city and it supports our ambitions to provide more affordable homes for local people. It is another way we are working to tackle the housing crisis.

“The mix of homes we provide is very important and we’ve made sure that all homes are energy efficient with good space standards as well as some that are wheelchair accessible.

“If everything goes to plan we hope to start construction on sites in summer next year.”

Bernadette Elder, one of the Directors of Inspiring Housing Community Land Trust and also Chief Executive Officer at Inspiring Communities Together said: “It was only a few months ago we were sat in an office talking about ideas. Now thanks to a commitment from the partnership those ideas have come to fruition. I am so glad we have got to this stage and really appreciate the hard work that is taking place for our communities.”

Mike Thorpe, Chief Officer at Broughton Trust said: “The council and community organisations have come together to form a great open partnership. The officers at the council have not said what they cannot do, only what they can do and are putting those words into action. There is a will between us all including our delivery partners Identity Consult, PRP Architects and Seddon’s, all of who have bought into the concept that we can achieve great things in solving our City’s local housing issues.”

 Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett signed the Memorandum of understanding with Mike Thorpe and Bernadette Elder. They were joined on the video call by Statutory Deputy City Mayor and Lead Member for Housing, Councillor Tracy Kelly and Deputy City Mayor Councillor John Merry.

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