Manchester City Council has been shortlisted for the UK Housing Awards after opening up empty homes for ex-servicemen.
The ‘veterans village’ project, put together by BBC’s DIY SOS programme and charity Walking With The Wounded, scored the authority a nomination for Outstanding Local Authority of the Year.
Eight empty homes on two streets in east Manchester were transformed into three residential homes for veterans and their families.
Local businesses across Salford pitched in to help, and the project attracted the patronage of Prince William and Prince Harry.
The entire street also benefited from street scene improvements with disabled access, a planting scheme, and each of the 62 properties on the street received new doors and windows, and rendering to the front.
Manchester City Council is involved in the second phase to bring further empty homes on the street back in to use as homes for veterans.
Cllr Bernard Priest, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “This project captured a huge outpouring of community spirit. Hundreds of trades and local people gave their time to achieve a collective goal: to support veterans and their families to lead a better quality of life.
“This project – that was project managed by the city council – was a remarkable partnership that deserves recognition, and it is with great pleasure that our contribution towards this project has been shortlisted in these awards.”
The winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on Tuesday, 26 April 2016.
