Greater Manchester Housing Providers (GMHP) have broadly welcomed the Government’s Housing White Paper and highlighted the scale of the challenge to meet the housing needs and aspirations of the region.

The housing partnership – representing 258,000 homes across the Greater Manchester region – widely greeted the communities secretary’s (Sajid Javid) recognition in Parliament today (Tuesday, 2 February) of the need for fundamental change to fix the “broken housing market”.

The housing partnership, who own or manage one in every five homes in the city region, have built more than 8,000 homes over the last five years – a third of all new housing stock in Greater Manchester.

With the right support GMHP members want to build many more homes to meet the needs and aspirations of the region.

Jon Lord, Chair of the GMHP, said: “After years of housing policy dominated by measures designed to increase home ownership, the renewed recognition of the need for high quality, affordable rented housing in today’s housing White Paper is very welcome. However, the under-supply of new homes has persisted for more than 20 years and it will take a radical shift in supply to redress the balance.

“Recognition by the Government that home-ownership is now unattainable for many is a major step forward in solving the housing crisis.

A recent Greater Manchester Spatial Framework report highlighted more than 200,000 homes would be needed by 2035 to meet demand. The current rate for completion stands at around 6,000 a year.

“We will continue to work closely with partners in Greater Manchester and intend to forge swift links with the new Greater Manchester Mayor, when they are elected in May, to develop further opportunities to build new homes, ensure all landlords meet appropriate standards and to create a region where all sectors play their part in building the new homes we need.”