Mayor sees affordable homes transform lives in Walsall

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, today visited a flagship regeneration project in Walsall that has transformed a disused industrial site into a thriving canalside community.

The newly completed Lockside development, delivered by whg in partnership with Lovell Partnerships, has brought 324 high-quality homes to what was neglected brownfield land.

Part-funded through a multi-million-pound investment from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), the former Caparo steelworks, which had stood derelict for more than a decade, and former Metafin site, now includes 144 homes at affordable rents and 48 shared ownership.

The affordable rent properties include 50 wellbeing apartments exclusively for the over-55s, providing a range of social activities to help combat loneliness and isolation.

During his visit, Mayor Parker met Janet Williams who told him of her family’s journey from a mould-ridden private rental to one of whg’s warm, safe affordable homes.

Janet, who lives in an affordable rent, three bedroom house at Lockside with her husband, Brian, and two daughters, said: “I would never live in private rent again. It was one of the worst experiences of my live. We were issued a section 21 eviction when the landlord wanted to sell, and didn’t know if we were going to be homeless or be put in temporary accommodation.

“Living in a whg home I feel much more secure knowing I have a home for life.”

The visit came as Parliament considers a Renters' Rights Bill aimed at transforming the private rented sector by addressing issues like "no-fault" evictions and by introducing a new tenancy system, improving property standards and regulating rent increases.

The bill is designed to provide tenants with greater security and stability while also offering clearer regulations for landlords.

Meanwhile, the Mayor has launched a mission to deliver thousands more social and affordable homes to help reduce the number of people living in poor quality private rents or temporary accommodation.

Latest figures show that across the West Midlands there are 7,450 households, including 14,976 children, living in temporary accommodation and 65,335 households on social housing waiting lists.

The Mayor, said: “Building more social and affordable housing is a top priority for me because it has the power to change lives. Janet and her family are proof of that.

“For too many years, there’s not been nearly enough investment in affordable housing and that’s left many people in temporary accommodation or private rentals that are often expensive and poorly regulated.

“But with the public and private sectors working together, like here at Lockside, we can begin to tackle this housing crisis by creating thriving and affordable new communities on derelict land – improving the lives of thousands more people like Janet.”

Gary Fulford, Chief Executive of whg, said: "Lockside shows what's possible when we prioritise brownfield regeneration and partnership working. With the support of the combined authority, Walsall Council, Homes England and Lovell Partnerships we have been able to accelerate the delivery of quality affordable homes, and create a sustainable community which is now fully occupied.”

Stuart Penn, regional managing director at Lovell said: “The completion of the Lockside development is a testament to the strength of the partnership between Lovell, whg and the WMCA, and is a fantastic example of a public-private partnerships in action. Delivering high quality housing while placing community at the forefront is vital to the regeneration of the West Midlands and Lockside exemplifies that.

“This partnership has allowed us to bring the previously disused site back to life, showcasing the potential that brownfield development can have in creating not only much-needed housing but also benefitting regional affordability and economic growth.” 

Councillor Amo Hussain, Portfolio Holder for Internal Services at Walsall Council, said: “It is great to see this new housing being built here in Birchills. Working in partnership is the only way we will deliver new housing and tackle derelict sites, bringing them back into use for our communities.  

"The partnership between Walsall Council and whg has gone from strength to strength. Ensuring quality housing for residents, whether in the private sector or the public sector, is a key priority for Walsall."

Lockside sits on the sites of the former Caparo steelworks and Metafin factory.

Caparo, a Midland tube maker, ended production at the site in 2005 and factory buildings were demolished between 2007 and 2009.

But the site then remained derelict for over a decade until work started on Lockside in 2021.

Development of the old Caparo site was aided by the WMCA, which provided funding to clean up the site under its ‘brownfield first’ policy. It was built through joint venture developer Anthem Lovell LLP, a partnership between Lovell and whg subsidiary Anthem Homes.

On the adjacent Metafin site, whg has once again partnered with Lovell to build an additional 72 homes for affordable rent.

Homes for Everyone is one Mayor Parker’s four key priorities along with Jobs for Everyone, Growth for Everyone and Journeys for Everyone.