Accent announces plans to build hundreds of new homes in Burnley with new brand

Homemade Homes forms a major part of Accent’s plans to build hundreds of new homes, following the issue of its record breaking £350m. bond, as featured in the Burnley Express in July last year.

Homemade brings together all Accent’s home sales activities. It will market the association’s new and pre-owned shared ownership homes, help existing homeowners buy further shares in their homes, and promote and market the association’s outright home sales.

Accent, which has been providing social homes for rent and sale across Burnley, and throughout East and West Lancashire for over 50 years, is not new to homeownership. The association currently manages over 530 shared ownership and leasehold homes across the region, as well as over 4,000 homes for social rent, around 2,000 of which are located in and around Burnley.

With Homemade Homes, and Accent’s plans to build more new homes, the association will be able to help many more people who would otherwise struggle to get on the property ladder, particularly in areas where property prices are high and potential home buyers need big deposits.

Managing the Homemade Homes brand for Accent is sales director Rob Bloom.

Mr Bloom said: "With our home ownership options, people have a real chance to own a home close to family, friends and work that they may otherwise not be able to afford.

“With Homemade, we will promote shared ownership as a real housing choice. Many people may never have considered shared ownership, but we want to show how it can be a real alternative for those who cannot afford to buy a home on the open market, but are not in enough ‘need’ to be considered for social rented housing.

"We will promote the benefits of shared ownership, by providing affordable homes which offer long-term security and an easy and enjoyable customer experience.”

Accent’s executive director of Development and Growth, Sarah Ireland, said: “We are committed to helping to fix the housing crisis that we sadly have in so many parts of the country.

"We are building new homes that are affordable because they can be in such short supply and, in some areas, almost impossible to afford without a ‘Help to Buy’ scheme such as shared ownership. But Accent is also equally committed to improving its existing homes.

"We currently have over 4,500 across Burnley and Lancashire which will benefit from our future development and growth plans and the reinvestment of surpluses generated from home sales.”