Consortium exceeds house building targets by
50%
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Publish Date: 19 May 2009
Author: J Manning
Despite the economic challenges in the housing market, the Blue
Skies Consortium, led by Longhurst Group, has announced today that
it has exceeded its home building financial targets for 2008/09 by
50%. 1,070 homes started on site during the year, with 900
already completed.
This was achieved even though 500 proposed homes were lost from
the original development programme during the early part of the
year.
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) reacted by opening up the
options to accepting alternative schemes and tenure types which,
helped to stimulate the market. Alternative replacement
schemes were found and secured.
Bob Walder, CEO of Longhurst Group commented “This is a great
and proud achievement for Blue Skies Consortium. Not
only is much needed affordable housing being delivered but as a
result much needed jobs are also being created within the
struggling construction industry.”
The Blue Skies Consortium has commissioned specialist
development consultancy partnership POD for the past 4 years to
manage their development programme.
Thanks to the dedication of the POD development team, together
with the support of the HCA, the programme was delivered ahead of
target for each of the 17 Blue Skies Consortium members. As a
result, the Consortium will maintain its status as a key delivery
partner with the HCA for the rest of the 2008/11 programme.
Ian Jackson (left), Director of Development at Longhurst
Group said “In the face of these very trying times, the
collaborative hard work of the team has really paid off and we are
delighted to not only have achieved but to have significantly
exceeded our original targets.”
The housing programme and targets are agreed with the HCA, which
regulates the social housing programme nationally.