13 July 2026
Vistry and Platform partner on 177-affordable home scheme in Chelmsley Wood, Solihull
Vistry, the UK’s leading provider of mixed-tenure homes, has partnered with Platform Housing Group to deliver a 177-home, 100% affordable scheme in Chelmsley Wood, Solihull. Platform will own and manage all 177 homes on the 4.5ha former Simon Digby School site, which has been earmarked for residential development for more than a decade.
The development includes £1,989,598.08 of Section 106 investment in local services, with contributions towards education, public open space, healthcare, playing pitches, transport and biodiversity net gain.
Fraser Hopes, Acting Managing Director, Vistry South West Midlands, said: “We are delighted to be working with Platform on a 100% affordable development, which will make a meaningful contribution towards addressing local housing need. By delivering high-quality family homes using modern methods of construction, we are committed to supporting a more sustainable future for Chelmsley Wood.”
Kate Ellison, Director of Growth and Innovation at Platform Housing Group, said: "This development represents the value of partnership working, bringing together organisations with a shared commitment to delivering high-quality, affordable homes in the places they are needed most.
"The area has been a priority for Platform due to its location as well as the high demand for affordable housing required in Chelmsley Wood. The 177 new homes will help grow the existing community by providing homes for individuals, couples and families of all ages looking for somewhere safe, secure and affordable to call home.
"We're pleased to be investing in the long-term future of this community and look forward to welcoming customers to their new homes."
Councillor Mark Parker, Cabinet Member for Housing at Solihull Council said: “This development is a great example of how strong partnerships can help us deliver the homes our residents need. The council has worked for a number of years to bring forward this former school site for development, undertaking the master planning and feasibility work needed to unlock its potential.
“It is fantastic to see Vistry and Platform Housing Group now taking this vision forward through the delivery of 177 high-quality affordable homes. As well as providing much-needed housing for local families, the scheme will bring investment into community infrastructure, create attractive new public spaces and support a sustainable future through modern methods of construction.
“By working closely with our partners and the West Midlands Combined Authority, we are turning underused land into a thriving new neighbourhood that will benefit Solihull residents for generations to come.”
The approved plans comprise a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses alongside one-bedroom maisonettes, and include a play area, nature trail and new areas of public open space.
Set next to a nature reserve, the homes will be delivered using modern methods of construction (MMC) to reduce embodied carbon. The open-panel timber frame will be manufactured off site at the Vistry Works East Midlands factory in Leicestershire. Vistry estimates each home built using the panels emits 14,460kg CO2e less than a traditional brick-and-block house.
The partnership will see Vistry lead construction delivery, with Platform retaining the completed homes for long-term ownership and management.