Families across Derbyshire have now moved into new, affordable homes after Futures and Amber Valley Borough Council joined forces to provide 28 homes.
Amber Valley Borough Council acquired seven homes in Kirk Langley and 21 in Belper, as part of its decision to provide council housing stock, now having a landlord status. The council then approached Futures to manage their properties.
Michelle, a new Futures customer who’d been bidding for a home for her and her children for almost two and a half years said: “I’ve had a lot of help from Futures which I’m forever grateful for. Their Tenancy Support team helped me with paperwork, flooring and some white goods, which made things a lot easier. In a way I’m glad it took so long because now I’ve got this house and I don’t feel like I want to move anymore, we’re happy.”
The homes are a mixture of flats, houses and bungalows and some come with solar panels to help with customers' electricity usage and bills.
Speaking about the partnership, David Arkle, Head of Housing, Growth and Climate at Amber Valley Borough Council, said: “Our long-standing partnership with Futures, built over more than 20 years, continues to deliver real benefits for communities across Amber Valley.
“Futures’ strong connection with their customers supports joint work across a wide range of council services – from tackling anti-social behaviour and supporting health and wellbeing, to improving energy efficiency, which was recognised with an award in 2023.
“The delivery of these new homes marks a significant milestone in our ambition to reintroduce council-owned housing in Amber Valley. We’re pleased to be working with Futures to ensure these properties are well managed and provide high-quality homes for local families. It’s a great example of how our partnership is helping to meet housing need across the borough, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the years ahead.”
Kirsty Yates, Head of Communities at Futures said: “It’s always lovely to hear when people are happy in their new home, especially knowing how long they’ve waited on the housing register.
“We're proud to have this excellent partnership with Amber Valley Borough Council. Not only because they share our passion of providing quality homes and services for better futures, but because the more affordable homes we can deliver, the less time people will hopefully wait on the housing register.”
