Plymouth agrees deal with Homes England in plans for thousands of new houses

Plymouth’s ambitions to provide thousands of homes in the city centre have taken a step closer after a partnership deal has been agreed with Homes England.

Council leader Tudor Evans and Homes England CEO Eamonn Boylan signed the Memorandum of Understanding partnership document, which is the next major step in 'strengthening' the working relationship between the two organisations.

The council said in an update that a new strategic partnership will accelerate the delivery of high-quality homes in Plymouth, supporting a transformational regeneration of the city centre and surrounding areas. These homes will play a key role in unlocking the economic potential of recent dockyard investments and help create a vibrant city where people can live, work, eat, shop, and socialise.

This initiative aligns with the UK Government’s Strategic Defence Review, which identifies defence as a new engine for national growth. The Continuous At Sea Deterrent programme represents a generational investment in national security—and Plymouth is set to benefit directly.

Cllr Evans said: “Plymouth is at the forefront of a new era of economic opportunity. By investing in affordable, high-quality housing, we’re not only supporting our defence capabilities but also creating a thriving, inclusive city for future generations.”

The proposal is for a shared delivery plan to work together over five years to deliver a strategy for a series of transformative investments, acquisitions and developments which are rooted in the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan.

Interventions are designed to act a catalyst and market-making investments, that will allow the public sector to create the right conditions and confidence for the private sector to invest and deliver the wider regeneration of the city centre.

Council Evans added: “We have been working with Homes England on our vision for the city centre and this is another important step along the road to making a vision a reality.

“With change of this scale in the pipeline, we need to set out and confirm common goals, get clarity of what we are working towards and be clear about how we are going to bring others along on the journey."

Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of Homes England, said: “Our new Memorandum of Understanding with Plymouth City Council is an important step in strengthening our commitment to the area.

“We’ll work side-by-side with the council to help achieve their vision for the city centre and support them to deliver 10,000 new homes for the people of Plymouth."

The council said it has embarked on a number of transformational projects designed to inject life, new uses and new visitors into the city centre. As well as the transforming the public realm of Old Town Street and New George Street, Armada Way, other projects in the pipeline include the former Civic Centre which is destined to be a city centre campus with a focus on blue/green skills as well as homes.