SOUTH Gloucestershire-based housing association Merlin is in formal talks to create a partnership which will expand its operating area, improving the lives of nearly 100,000 customers every year and delivering the largest housing association-led new homes programme in the West of England.

The partnership with Wolverhampton-based Bromford Housing Group will see the organisations – with 40,000 homes between them, and prospective combined turnover of £250m - join together to invest £1.5bn building 14,000 new homes in the next decade.

In a joint statement, CEOs Robert Nettleton from Merlin and Philippa Jones from Bromford said: “This is a partnership where each organisation brings expertise that complements the other and service aspirations that fit really well. 

"It brings together two forward- thinking housing providers with a shared vision of enabling customers to use great affordable homes as a springboard to achieve more of what they hope for themselves, their families and their communities. 

“Both our organisations have ambitious development programmes. Working together, these can be combined and expanded to deliver 14,000 new homes in the next decade. 

"This capability and a common passion to offer an exceptional customer experience, will help our combined business grow, deliver more, and offers the opportunity to reinvest savings into building even more homes.”

Merlin will seek feedback and consult customers and stakeholders on the vision for the partnership which includes introducing neighbourhood coaching into communities – a process designed to deliver an even more face to face and personalised service that empowers customers.