London ALMO is the first to buy new council homes

A London Arms length management organisation has become the first in the UK to buy council homes.

Brent Housing Partnership will buy a development in South Kilburn, Granville New Homes, from Brent Council after an agreement was reached earlier this week.

In the past ALMO’s only managed and upgraded council housing but they were able to bid for Housing Corporation money to build homes from 2007.

BHP managing director, Helen Evans, said: “We are very excited by the prospect of purchasing Granville New Homes.”

Brent council were expecting to sell the properties to housing association Hyde Homes, their main regeneration partner. But a council spokeswoman said Hyde offered a price lower than expected for the development and the council were unable to accept the offer. Instead it sold them to the ALMO which manages the council’s homes.

Julia Johnson, assistant director of Hyde Housing, said: “While we are disappointed that the council was unable to sell the scheme to Hyde, we wish those residents all the very best for the future of their new homes.”