MRH awarded the contract

MRH awarded the contract to continue working on behalf of the Leicestershire Rural Housing Group.

Midlands Rural Housing is to continue as the Rural Housing Enabler Strategic Partner in Leicestershire.  The rural housing specialist has been awarded the contract to continue working on behalf of the Leicestershire Rural Housing Group across the County; a partnership which in recent years has seen over 20 exception site homes built with a further 40 about to go onto site and more than 60 rural Section 106 homes secured for local people as a result of the collaborative work.  In addition, dozens of neighbourhood plans have been supported and numerous briefing sessions have helped to raise the profile and strengthen understanding of rural housing.

The Leicestershire Rural Housing Group is made up of funding partners from six rural local authorities (Blaby District Council, Charnwood Borough Council, Harborough District Council, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council, Melton Borough Council and North West Leicestershire District Council), Leicestershire County Council and three Housing Associations with a commitment to rural housing (emhg, NCHA and Waterloo Housing Group).  The Group strategically guides the work across rural Leicestershire where Midlands Rural Housing engages parish councils, local communities, neighbourhood plan groups and elected members to discuss rural housing issues, assess local housing need and explore solutions to local housing solutions where needed.

The aim over the coming years is to continue to build on the progress made and maintain Leicestershire as a county where affordable rural housing is a political priority and councillors, officers, providers, and communities work together to meet local needs in a proactive and informed manner.

Despite each rural area having its own nuances and unique nature, the service delivered to them is efficient and enables housing needs to be smoothly and inclusively assessed, delivered upon for the benefit of local communities, and held up as an example of good practice.

Working with the rural areas of Leicestershire, MRH will carry out a programme of housing needs surveys before looking to work up small developments of housing to meet local needs. Training and briefing events are also planned for parish, district, and county councillors to help keep members and their communities up to speed with affordable and rural housing issues.

Richard Mugglestone, Project Delivery Manager at MRH, said: "The collaborative working across rural Leicestershire has achieved a lot in recent years and we are excited to continue being part of this positive partnership.  Maintaining the focus on rural housing as a political priority is essential to enable further successes in the coming years.  Our community focus ensures that the needs of villages are understood and that the homes that are so crucially needed are built in the right place for the right people.  Where we are commissioned to carry out rural housing work by partners such as the Leicestershire Rural Housing Group our approach is one that delivers results.  We are able to bring our long track record of working on rural housing across the midlands and are always delighted to work with proactive partners to help make a difference in rural areas."