Wrekin Housing Group and Housing Plus complete merger

Wrekin Housing Group and Housing Plus Group have officially merged.

The two providers have come together to create a 33,000-home provider operating across Shropshire, Staffordshire and Telford & Wrekin.

Under the plan, Wrekin has become part of Housing Plus with current Wrekin chief executive Wayne Gethings appointed boss of the enlarged Housing Plus Group. Sarah Boden, chief executive at Housing Plus, has retired.

During the first year, Catherine Dass, former Housing Plus Group board member, will serve as “transition chair” of the new group. She is joined by Debbie Griffiths, former board member of The Wrekin Housing Group, as vice-chair.

The providers believe the merger will enable them to be more resilient and do more for their residents. The group plans to invest £55m extra in existing homes and play a “leading role in providing affordable housing and care.” They have also said the move will allow it to grow capacity to build more homes.

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Telford-based Wrekin has a turnover of £115.8m and manages nearly 14,000 homes, having completed 316 in 2023/24. Housing Plus, which provides homes in Shropshire and Staffordshire, manages more than 19,000 homes and has a turnover of £101.5m. The pair collectively built nearly 500 homes in their most recent reporting year.

Gethings said: “This merger represents an exciting new chapter, bringing together two outstanding organisations with a shared commitment to improving lives and communities.

“By uniting our strengths and expertise, we are building a housing association that is stronger, more resilient, and better positioned to deliver quality landlord services and homes for all our customers.”