Affordable housing scheme on site of derelict Black Country steelworks wins major award

A housing scheme providing dozens of affordable homes for Black Country families has landed a prestigious national award.

The Cookley Works development on the site of a former steel plant in Brierley Hill was named Best Affordable Housing Development 2025 at the Inside Housing Development Awards in London.

The scheme, which was backed with more than £1m from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), received the award for the high quality way in which it transformed the derelict five acre site into a thriving new community of 71 affordable homes.

Mayor Richard Parker visited the development last year to meet families moving into the new homes, including some who had previously been living in expensive but poor quality private accommodation.

The Platform Housing Group scheme, which was delivered in partnership with the WMCA, Lovell Partnerships and Homes England, includes 37 homes for affordable rent and 34 for shared ownership.

It has given families and individuals across the West Midlands an opportunity to put down roots in a secure and aspirational home.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands (third from left front) with the development team from Platform Housing Group and Lovell Partnerships

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “I visited Cookley Works last year and families told me how they had previously been paying sky high rents for private properties riddled with damp and mould. If people want to understand how good quality, affordable housing has the power to transform lives then go and see this development - it’s a worthy winner.

“I’m using my funding to deliver more social and affordable homes like these because the current shortage is blighting too many lives by leaving families in poor quality or temporary accommodation.

“This a shared goal, and it’s by bringing together public sector funding, housing associations like Platform, and responsible developers, that we can begin fixing this housing crisis and improve the quality of life for thousands of children and their parents.”

Elizabeth Froude, Group Chief Executive at Platform Housing Group added: “We’re very proud of what has been achieved at Cookley Works and delighted for the people that now call it home. It’s a testament to the strength of our partnerships and shared commitment to delivering high quality affordable homes. 

“Working together with Lovell and the West Midlands Combined Authority, we’ve converted derelict, brownfield land and created a place that meets real community needs, which is exactly the kind of impact we plan to keep delivering at scale.”

From the outset, the vision for Cookley Works was to prove that affordability and aspiration can coexist.  The development is tenure blind, with thoughtfully designed features including glass balconies, tree lined streets and landscaped green spaces, creating a neighbourhood that residents are proud to call home.

Bringing the long vacant and contaminated industrial site back brough a number of challenges but the final development honours the site’s heritage with a commemorative statue, connecting the new community to its steelworking past.

Stuart Penn, regional managing director at Lovell, said: “Having this recognition for Cookley Works is fantastic but the real achievement is having delivered essential affordable housing in the region, which doesn’t compromise on quality.

“Unlocking the brownfield land at the former steel works site was not without its challenges, but through close collaboration and long-standing partnerships we’ve created a space for people to call home. We’re looking forward to continuing this successful partnership at other sites across the region.”

An aerial shot of the Cookley Works development