Midlands landlord invests more than £65m to build hundreds of new homes

Midlands landlord Whg has invested £66.7m in the space of a year to build hundreds of new homes across the region.Between April 2022 and March 2023, Whg built 255 homes for rent and shared ownership.The long-term investor and landlord is currently working on 27 sites and forecast to complete 700 new homes by April 24, representing a record in-year investment of over £95m.These include 324 at Lockside on the sites of the former Caparo steelworks and Metafin factory and 71 on a former scrapyard site on land off Wolverhampton Road.Further afield in Wolverhampton, Whg has taken handovers of the first homes at its £32m Royal Hospital flagship scheme, where 123 affordable rent, 31 shared ownership, and 38 wellbeing homes are being built.Whg has also embarked on its first development in Rugby, at Coton Park East, working with Persimmon Homes to deliver 56 homes for rent and 11 for shared ownership.Other deals during the year include for 44 at Arkall Farm in Tamworth and 15 at Pye Green in Cannock.• Whg appoints six new board and committee as part of diversity drive• Whg rolls out full-fibre broadband to tenants in communal blocks• Whg appoints new director of Energy and Programme ManagementCorporate director of Development Rebecca Bennett Casserly said: “Despite the current economic climate and ongoing challenges in the sector, we are delighted to have had another productive year, expanding into new local authorities and welcoming new development partners.“Our home building continues at pace with a record £97.2m due to be invested in 2023/4.“We have a number of exciting developments planned for completion in the coming months that will bring the affordable homes to the region that are so desperately needed.”Whg currently houses more than 50,000 people in around 21,000 properties.Image: Some of the new homes at Whg’s Lockside developmentRead next: Riverside announces new managing director to lead One HousingAre you a social housing professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.