Hertfordshire housing associations enter merger talks

Thrive Homes and Watford Community Housing (WCH) have announced they are in negotiations about merging.

Thrive which owns around 5,500-home and 7,500-home WCH have approved an outline business case for the proposal, which would see the creation of a new “community gateway” housing association.

A spokesperson said the plan “aims to improve services for residents by combining resources, expertise and operational capacity, to better serve communities and address the growing demand for high-quality social and affordable housing.”

The associations believe a merger could enable the to more easily improve services, increase investment in energy efficiency works and build new homes.

Tina Barnard, chief executive of WCH said: “We are already closely aligned in our values and our commitment to delivering for local communities, as well as our geography, so we believe this is a logical step that would allow us to do more for our customers than we can achieve on our own.”

Paul Richmond, chief executive of Thrive Homes, added: “By coming together with a shared purpose, we’ll be better equipped to face the challenges of the housing sector whilst continuing to help individuals and families secure a good-quality, safe home that they can afford.”

The merger is due to complete by next June, subject to consultation with residents, staff and other stakeholders.