1,700 new homes in the West Midlands to be funded through £63 million devolution fund, says mayor Richard Parker

Mr Parker said hundreds more families would benefit over the next 12 months from new homes that would be funded through a £389 million grant to the West Midlands Combined Authority announced last month. The cash, which includes nearly £63 million for housing and regeneration, was given to the authority as part of a deal to devolve power from Westminster, he said.

Mr Parker said it would also unlock ‘place-making’ schemes that create vibrant communities and regenerate high streets and other urban centres.

He said that with 7,148 households, including 14,229 children, living in temporary accommodation, and 65,335 households on the region’s housing waiting lists, the construction of new social and affordable homes were one of his key priorities.

He added that figures released this week showed that since taking office 12 months ago, he had used West Midlands Combined Authority funding to unlock schemes to provide more than 500 new social homes, which is more than in all the schemes the authority has ever grant funded.

Mr Parker said the settlement would be used to fund 1,770 homes, including a 'significant number' of affordable and social homes.

“The Government is backing our region by putting funds and powers into the hands of local leaders and we will use this money to provide more homes for those communities that need them most," he said.

“Everyone deserves a warm, safe and affordable home but too many families are having to wait too long, forced to live in expensive and often poor quality rented or temporary accommodation. 

“I’m committed to changing lives for the better which is why, in my first year in office I’ve unlocked more social housing at a faster pace than ever before. 

“This is all part of my mission to deliver growth, jobs, homes and journeys for everyone.”

The mayor has set a target of 2,000 new social homes a year by 2028 to help tackle the housing crisis, while also training local people in construction skills so they can get jobs building those homes. 

Mr Parker said the integrated settlement, which will see government funds managed by devolved authorities rather than ministers, would cut bureaucracy and give the mayor and local leaders greater control, choice and power to focus the money on regional priorities.

Between now and March 2026 it will deliver services and projects that had previously relied on the region’s ability to win multiple grants from different government departments, he said.