This New Merger Could Bring 37,000 Social Homes Together

After the two boards approve the business case to create 37,000-home association, two housing associations will begin a six-week consultation with residents on plans to merge.

Longhurst Group, which owns or manages nearly 25,000 homes, is currently in discussions with the 12,000-home Grand Union Housing Group. Both boards have approved a business case for a merger. 

The organisations believe that merging will increase their capacity to invest in existing homes and build 5,000 new homes over the next five years

Based in Rushden, Northamptonshire, Longhurst Group reported a turnover of £157.4 million in 2022/23, during which it completed 578 homes and spent £13 million on major improvements and repairs. It has previously announced plans to build 2,776 homes over five years.

Grand Union Housing Group, headquartered in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, reported a turnover of £92 million in 2022/23, completed 282 homes, and spent £26.2 million on home improvements and repairs.

The resident consultation runs until 04 September

Aileen Evans, chief executive, Grand Union Housing Group, said: “Both ourselves and Longhurst Group are well governed and built on solid financial foundations and we believe that we’d be even stronger together as a larger organisation and have more resilience to respond to a challenging operating environment.

“We are exploring this from a position of strength, and this presents an exciting opportunity for both organisations to take proactive steps in ensuring we’re well placed for the future.

“As one organisation, we could better realise our aims for the future; specifically, to speed up improvements in our homes, provide enhanced services and build more homes.”

Julie Doyle, chief executive of Longhurst Group, said: “We have a strong existing relationship with Grand Union Housing Group, with whom we share similar visions and values as well as our geographic footprints and growth aspirations.

“We feel that both organisations have complementing strengths as well as areas that can be further improved by coming together, which would give us the opportunity to learn from each other and, ultimately, deliver the best possible service for our customers.”