Great Places Housing Group logo with the words 'great' in blue, 'places' in green, and 'HOUSING GROUP' in blue underneath

Number of homes: Around 25,000
CEO: Matthew Harrison
Website: www.greatplaces.org.uk
Areas of operation: North of England, including Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Derbyshire

About

Great Places Housing Group is a housing association operating across the North of England, managing around 25,000 homes. The group provides affordable housing, regeneration, and community services with the stated aim of making neighbourhoods “thrive and shine.” It also supports residents through training, employment, sustainability advice, and community initiatives, while helping people access the housing ladder through affordable homeownership.

Performance & Accountability

Great Places is regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing (code L4465). In December 2021, the provider was rated G1 for governance and V1 for viability, confirming strong compliance and financial stability. The group also includes Great Places Housing Association and Plumlife Homes Limited.

The Housing Ombudsman has investigated complaints against Great Places, including a case relating to the landlord’s response to a carbon monoxide alarm and subsequent complaints handling. Such cases highlight the importance of safety and effective complaint resolution in maintaining resident trust.

Strategic Direction

Great Places combines housing management with wider regeneration and community development projects. Its strategy emphasises growth, high-quality design in new developments, and sustainability initiatives to support residents with energy efficiency and cost savings. Alongside affordable housing provision, Plumlife Homes focuses on shared ownership and sales, contributing to the group’s mixed-tenure approach.

Resident Experience

The association promotes its community focus and resident involvement. While many residents benefit from regeneration projects and additional support services, Ombudsman cases show issues with responsiveness and complaint handling, particularly around safety concerns. Balancing large-scale development with day-to-day service quality remains a key challenge.

At a glance

  • Homes: Around 25,000 across the North of England

  • Governance/Viability: G1/V1 – strong governance and financially stable

  • Focus: Affordable housing, regeneration, shared ownership, community services

  • Key identity points: Large northern provider, regeneration-led strategy, operates Plumlife Homes, emphasis on design and sustainability