Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust celebrates ten years, with ten more homes

Through BMHT, the city has become the biggest local authority housing builder in the country.

Since BMHT was founded, the number of new homes built has doubled from just over 200 per year to 400. The company is now in a position to start diversifying their offer to include modular homes which is anticipated to increase this upward trend.

BMHT, Birmingham City Council’s housebuilding arm, was initially created when the council was faced with an increased demand for social housing but with diminishing housing stock. Since then, the company has taken the opportunity to create bespoke houses which specifically meet the needs of residents in Birmingham and has done so to higher design and manufacturing standards what has been typically found elsewhere on the housing market.

Since its launch, BMHT has built over 3,000 homes for sale and rent, making it the largest housebuilder in the region. The company is on track to build a further 2,000 homes over the next five years.

The homes completed this month have been built for social rent on Montgomery Street, Small Heath. Costing in total just under £1,485,000 and they have now been handed over to their new tenants.

Cabinet member for homes and neighbourhoods, Cllr Sharon Thompson said, “The national housing crisis has led to chronic issues of over-crowding and homelessness throughout our city. Therefore, I am absolutely delighted to be here today with the new residents.

“To be able to move more and more families from the housing waiting list into permanent housing will not only help to tackle the national housing crisis, but will help those families lead happier and healthier lives.

“Birmingham City Council is committed to ensuring everyone in the city has good quality housing at an affordable price.”

The scheme comprises of two two-bed, four four-bed and four five-bedroom homes, they provide much needed affordable housing on land which was previously derelict. The street itself, and the Sparkbrook Ward in general, suffers from a lack of parking. Therefore each of these houses has been tailor built with two parking spaces each to try and alleviate the problem.

Mr M. Mohamed is from one of the ten families who will be moving in to the new houses and commented, “My family and I have been on the housing waiting list for seven years. There are eight people in my family and until now we have been living in a two-bed flat. To be able to move into a modern four-bed family home where my children will have the space they need to grow up happy and healthy is a fantastic step forward.”

The BMHT programme will continue its commitment to delivering larger family, affordable homes as this scheme will shortly be followed up by another project in Sparkbrook at Erasmus Road where a further 15 houses will be completed in the Autumn of this year.