Yorkshire and Tees Valley housing associations announce merger

Coast & Country Housing and Yorkshire Coast Homes are set to merge to form a new company, Beyond Housing, in early October 2018.

Beyond Housing will serve customers in more than 15,000 homes across the North East and North Yorkshire.

The newly formed company will be able to build more new homes than either of the organisations would individually be able to; increase focus on regeneration with plans to address the serious issues deprived communities; and continue the high levels of investment into existing homes, investing £150m in the first five years.

In addition, Beyond Housing will also be able to address the challenges of the ageing population in the northeast and Yorkshire through providing a combined Independent and Supported Living service to over 8,000 vulnerable people.

Coast & Country has a current rental stock of more than 10,500 homes, the majority in Redcar and Cleveland, while Yorkshire Coast Homes has around 4,500 properties along the Scarborough and North Yorkshire coast.

James Hayward, chair of shadow board for Beyond Housing, said: “This is a really exciting time for all our customers, staff and stakeholders. We truly believe the merger provides us all with a bright future and gives us more opportunities to make a difference to people’s lives.

“Our customers will sit at the heart of this and will continue to be the focus of everything we do and our name, Beyond Housing, perfectly reflects the ethos of the new organisation.”

Peter Lenehan, acting chief executive for Coast & Country, added: “Our organisations have much in common in terms of values, social purpose and commitment to our heartlands.

“By working together as Beyond Housing we can achieve even more to benefit our customers and communities across the North East and North Yorkshire.”

Owen Ingram, interim chief executive for Yorkshire Coast Homes, also commented: “Our plans are ambitious and only possible to achieve by working together.

“Beyond Housing, a larger, stronger organisation provides increased opportunity for directing resources to essential areas such as new-build development, making us better equipped to address the region’s urgent need for more affordable housing.”

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