Plans to build 100,000 homes across the East Midlands have taken a step forward with the signing of a key deal.
The Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, has signed a Strategic Place Partnership with Homes England, the government’s housing and regeneration agency.
The partnership signals a long-term commitment from Homes England to support Mayor Claire’s ambition to build 100,000 homes across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
Mayor Claire said: “This new partnership marks an important moment for the East Midlands. By working hand in hand with Homes England, we are ensuring that our ambition to deliver 100,000 new homes is based on a solid foundation.
“Building these homes is one of the most important ways that our investments will benefit local people. It is how we will deliver , which is at the heart of my mission as Mayor. That means building more homes and creating stronger, more connected communities with the jobs, infrastructure, and regeneration our local people deserve.
“Our partnership with Homes England is a long-term investment in our future. Together, we are building an East Midlands that is vibrant, fair, and forward-looking – a place we can all be proud to call home.”
The partnership was agreed when Mayor Claire met Amy Rees, Chief Executive of Homes England, at the Castleward Urban Village, a new residential development between Derby Railway Station and city centre.
Strategic Place Partnerships are one of the tools Homes England uses to work closely with Combined Authorities in England. The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) and Homes England will work together to attract more investment and speed up the building of new housing projects in the region, providing local people with greater access to high-quality homes.
Amy Rees, Chief Executive of Homes England, said: “Our 10th Strategic Place Partnership represents a significant milestone in the way we work with Mayoral Strategic Authorities across England.
“By formalising our partnership with EMCCA, we are creating a powerful framework that will unlock the region’s potential for sustainable growth.
“Projects like Broad Marsh demonstrate what is possible when local knowledge meets national resources, and this SPP will enable us to replicate that success across the East Midlands, delivering the homes and regeneration that the community deserves.”
EMCCA and Homes England have already established a strong working relationship through delivering key projects like the regeneration of Broad Marsh in Nottingham and the development of Infinity Garden Village in Derbyshire.
The Broad Marsh redevelopment is one of Nottingham’s top priority projects – which has already seen significant progress with the opening of the new Central Library and the Green Heart – a new green space for people to enjoy nature. Further development with Homes England will see the creation of 1,000 homes, retail, office and community spaces, and about 2,000 full-time jobs on the site of the former Broadmarsh Shopping Centre in Nottingham’s city centre.
EMCCA has invested £3.4m for the demolition of parts of the shopping centre and supported Nottingham City Council with changes to nearby Maid Marian Way to alleviate traffic in the city.
Infinity Garden Village will be located near to Infinity Park in south Derby, one of the three East Midlands Investment Zone strategic sites. Plans at the site include building 4,500 homes and 5 million sq feet of retail, office, and community space, and creating 5,000 jobs.
This new partnership between EMCCA and Homes England comes after a series of housing successes in the region that are helping to deliver about 2,000 homes, with the government providing more than £36 million of funding to build housing on brownfield land in the East Midlands.
Mayor Claire is committed to inclusive growth which will ensure that everyone across the region benefits in the plans to create a better-paid workforce, build more affordable housing, and deliver stronger and more connected communities.