Local people want more homes so let’s get Metro Mayor building, says Salix Homes

Salix Homes is campaigning for Greater Manchester’s first ever Metro Mayor to prioritise housing and deliver the affordable homes local people have said Salford desperately needs.

The city-based housing provider, who have around one in ten Salfordians living in their homes, is partnering the National Housing Federation to push housing to the top of the political agenda ahead of the mayoral election on Thursday 4 May.

New research has identified housing as a top priority for voters in Greater Manchester, where there has also been a distinct move away from traditional NIMBY attitudes towards housebuilding.

40 per cent of voters in the city region believe the new mayor should prioritise plans for new housing in the first 100 days of office*, while the National Housing Federation has found that public support for more affordable homes in the North West is now as strong as in London**.

Greater Manchester’s new mayor will assume new powers relating to housing, planning and infrastructure. He or she will also have the chance to champion housing policy and seek further devolution of funding and flexibilities from central Government.

The public campaign, which launched today (Tuesday, 28 February), is being run by the National Housing Federation and the Greater Manchester Housing Providers (GMHP).

It will call on all six mayoral candidates to sign up and pledge their support for everyone across Greater Manchester to live in a home they can afford.

Lee Sugden, chief executive of Salix Homes said: “The need for affordable housing in Salford has never been greater. While overall house prices are lower than the national average at £146,000, homes cost around six times the average income of a Salfordian.

“There is a housing crisis going on with thousands still on the housing waiting list and an ever-increasing population.

“We want to create new affordable homes for the city, so that’s we’re calling on all six mayoral candidates and to commit to working with us and our sector to tackle the area’s housing crisis and deliver the homes this area needs.”

A series of public events will run during March to showcase how local housing providers are building homes, creating jobs and boosting the wellbeing of people across Greater Manchester.

Salix Homes is a proud member of the Greater Manchester Housing Providers (GMHP) – a partnership of 26 housing organisations dedicated to creating quality homes that everyone can afford.

A quarter of a million homes across Greater Manchester are owned and managed by GMHP members – one in every five home in the city region.

They built over a third of all new housing stock in the area between 2011 and 2015 (more than 8,000 new homes) and have clear ambitions to work with the new Mayor to deliver even more.

Sources:

* Centre for Cities – 2017 Mayoral Research: Manchester City region (Com Res)

** Demise of the NIMBY: changing attitudes to building new homes (National Housing Federation)