Advising Homes for the West Midlands LLP on a £200 million regional housing partnership

• The Client: Five West Midlands housing providers: Bromford Housing, Citizen, Midlands Heart, whg Housing, and Green Square Accord
• The Challenge: Resolving complex legal and governance hurdles between five distinct social housing associations and the West Midlands Combined Authority to create a unified partnership
• The Outcome: Established Homes for the West Midlands LLP, launching an initial £15 million project in Sandwell and securing a £200 million affordable housing pipeline across the region

Five of the West Midlands’ largest not for profit housing providers, Bromford Housing, Citizen, Midlands Heart, whg Housing, and Green Square Accord, sought to collaborate to build more affordable homes across the region. After overcoming complex governance hurdles with the West Midlands Combined Authority, the providers required a robust legal structure to unite. Anthony Collins advised on establishing Homes for the West Midlands LLP. Formally launched in October 2024, this collaborative model secures an initial £15 million project and a £200 million affordable housing pipeline.

The Challenge

In April 2018, five of the largest not for profit social housing associations in the West Midlands conceived a ground breaking initiative to accelerate affordable house building by opening up new development sites. However, bringing together distinct organisations, Bromford Housing, Citizen, Midlands Heart, whg Housing, and Green Square Accord, presented intricate legal and governance challenges. The project experienced initial delays connected with the priorities and governance of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

Overcoming these obstacles required legal advisers with extensive expertise in local government law and housing association regulation. Led by partner Mark Cook, Anthony Collins was ideally positioned to guide the promoters. Our understanding of public authority powers and social housing regulation enabled us to align regional priorities with community focused development.

The Solution

To resolve governance complexities and establish a permanent framework for collaboration, Anthony Collins devised a multi-layered legal structure connecting the five housing association promoters with the WMCA.

Our corporate specialists advised on forming Homes for the West Midlands LLP (HWM) as a limited liability partnership between the five promoters, drafting the core LLP Deed to set out governance and operational terms. In parallel, we structured a collaborative partnering agreement between HWM and the WMCA, ensuring clear alignment between regional policy and housing delivery.

To secure compliance across all aspects of the venture, partner Mark Cook and the team provided multi-disciplinary legal support spanning:

• Vires and governance: Clarifying WMCA statutory powers and managing housing association regulatory requirements.
• Procurement and Subsidy Control: Advising on compliant public procurement processes and subsidy control rules to ensure lawful funding.
• Commercial, property and construction: Drafting property documentation and construction contracts for the partnership’s inaugural project.

By structuring a clear legal framework that balances commercial rigour with social value, we helped bring the partnership to its formal launch by the new Mayor on 18th October 2024. Anthony Collins continues to provide ongoing commercial, property, and construction advice as HWM expands.

The Impact

The establishment of Homes for the West Midlands LLP enables the development of new sites to accelerate affordable house building across the region. The partnership has successfully launched its inaugural project in Sandwell, representing an initial £15 million investment. Looking ahead, the initiative provides a long term model for regional collaboration, with a future development pipeline set to reach £200 million. By uniting five major social landlords, the project delivers lasting benefits for local communities, providing high quality, affordable homes for families across the West Midlands.