Housing Market Renewal Fund

What is the Housing Market Renewal Programme (HMR)?

In 2000 Salford began to experience housing market failure in a number of local areas across the city - many of which were already within current regeneration areas such as Broughton, Seedley and Langworthy and Kersal and Charlestown together with specific pockets of decline in the Weaste and Claremont wards. In simple terms this meant there was a lack of quality housing which met the needs and demands of local people or attracted new residents in.

Many of the areas affected by housing market failure were characterised by high levels of empty properties, large swathes of older terraced property which was no longer in demand and low value properties which offered restricted choice for those wishing to move up the property ladder. It was closely linked to other indicators of social deprivation and sometimes area abandonment. It was identified as one of the key challenges of the community plan and the corporate Housing Strategy.

The HMR fund covers several areas of Salford, further information on which can be found at each individual regeneration area page.

The case for the funding

During 2002, the government invited nine area partnerships across the North and West Midlands to establish pathfinder projects to tackle low demand and housing abandonment. Manchester and Salford is one of these national pathfinders.

The pathfinder projects have developed comprehensive proposals for programmes of neighbourhood renewal in order to create sustainable housing markets and thus sustainable neighbourhoods. These programmes incorporate substantial investment in both existing and replacement housing and in improvements to the physical environment, as well as increased investment in neighbourhood management and proactive enforcement.

HMR investment is contributing to the implementation of comprehensive local plans for neighbourhood renewal, through the Local Strategic Partnership's - Partners IN Salford - Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy. Investment is aligned with programmes in education, health, community safety etc in order to narrow the gap between neighbourhoods in inner Manchester and Salford and the national average and to create places where people want to live and invest.

Manchester Salford Pathfinder

The Manchester Salford Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Partnership (involving key agencies from both cities) submitted a detailed investment programme to the government during the summer of 2003. Between 2003 and 2006 £115 million HMR funding was invested in the housing markets in Salford and Manchester.

A scheme update covering detailed plans for 2006/07 and 2007/08 and outline plans beyond that period was submitted in October 2005 and the government allocated a further £106 million for this two year period.

A third phase of funding of £140 million for Manchester Salford was allocated in February 2008 for a three year period up to 2011.

This investment is being targeted towards four areas- Central Salford, North Manchester, East Manchester and South Manchester. Each of these areas is now implementing detailed schemes focused on site assembly, securing development, supporting home ownership, progressing home improvements, working with registered social landlords and other landlords in the private rented sector, and neighbourhood management measures.