Southway launches new five-year plan shaped by customers

We've launched our new five-year plan in consultation with customers, confirming our ambitions to grow to more than 10,000 homes whilst continuing to invest in our existing homes and services.  

We currently manage over 6,500 homes, and received over 1,000 responses from customers and colleagues as part of surveys, workshops and events which have helped us set future priorities for homes, customers and communities up to 2030. 

One of these priorities is to increase its number of homes to 10,000 to meet housing demand and expand into other parts of Greater Manchester. This will include building up to 1,300 new homes for social and affordable rent, shared ownership and outright sale.

 Southway and Gecko Homes’ newly completed Unicorn Quarter in Eccles, Salford. (16 shared ownership homes) 

We've also committed to investing £5m in communities to support customers’ independence, health and wellbeing. 

Our new five-year plan focuses on six themes: Homes, Customers, Neighbourhoods and Communities, Sustainability, Growth and Colleagues with clear actions to meet targets.  

Tenant Yvonne Jennings with her grandson Jamar at Southway’s Fun & Feedback event in Chorlton 

We appointed John Bowker as Chief Executive in July last year.  

John said: “I’m delighted that our new corporate plan has been shaped by customers and colleagues. The fantastic amount of feedback enabled us to focus on what matters most to our communities and this has resulted in a plan that we believe will have a positive and long-lasting impact. 

“We held a range of activities including home visits to make sure as many people as possible could have their say, and improving how we listen to customers and create more opportunities for them to get involved remains a key priority. 

“Our new plan strives for continuous improvement, builds resilience to overcome challenges and puts us in a strong position to address the housing crisis.”

April also marks the start of a refreshed brand for Southway and a new Customer Voice Strategy which details plans for three new customer groups due to start this year. This includes a panel to oversee the customer involvement strategy and two service improvement groups; one for customer experience and one for asset management covering home improvement works.  

Hazel Makinson, Chair of Southway’s Parent Board added: “It’s been great to see this plan develop in close collaboration with customers and the Board is confident that it helps to secure a strong future for Southway and its communities.” 

Read the full plan below

Customers are at the heart of everything we do and we’d like to thank all customers who helped to produce our new Customer Voice Strategy.

This strategy details how we’ll listen and respond to your feedback and how you can influence how services are run. Read it in full here.