Skip to content
Home » What We Do » Salford City Council and Dérive
Britain in 2030

Salford City Council and Dérive

Community wealth building, Land and regeneration, Procurement, Social economy
|
Case Study
|
England
|

What is Dérive?

Founded in 2017, Dérive is Salford City Council’s wholly owned housing company, created to accelerate the delivery of genuinely affordable, well‑designed and low‑carbon homes. Its subsidiary Dérive RP achieved Registered Provider status in 2023, unlocking access to Homes England funding.

Community wealth building in practice

  • Municipal ownership: Dérive keeps control of land, tenure and affordability within the city, ensuring long‑term community benefit.
  • Local financial power: RP status enables grant funding for social rent, while mixed‑tenure schemes help cross‑subsidise deeper affordability.
  • Progressive procurement: Delivery partners such as Seddon and Buttress keep spend local and embed high energy‑efficiency standards.
  • Using public land productively: Under‑used council sites are repurposed for sustainable, affordable housing.

What has been achieved

  • 356 homes delivered by Sept 2024, with ~1,000 in development.
  • 113 homes completed in 2025, 40% at social rent.
  • Portfolio now 500+ affordable homes, with 1,200 more in the pipeline.

Impact

  • Increased supply of genuinely affordable and social rent homes.
  • Lower bills for residents through low‑carbon design.
  • Improved housing security, including specialist support for those leaving homelessness.

Context

Salford faces severe housing pressures:

  • Over 5,000 households are on the housing register, with only 910 homes advertised in 2023/24 and around 150 bids per property.
  • The city estimates it needs 809 additional affordable homes each year.

Related case studies

Community Wealth Building in Fife

|
Procurement
|

Context Fife is Scotland’s third largest local authority area by population. It has a resident population of just under 367,000, over a third of whom live in the three principal settlements, Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes. Money administered to SMEs by local councils during and after the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in an increased awareness of the capacity local SMEs might have to diversify their activities. In Fife Council economic development officers are engaging with local SMEs to make them aware of their goods and services pipeline, with a view to more…

Greater Manchester Community Wealth Hub

|
Social economy
|

Context Employee-owned businesses, co-operatives, social enterprises and community ownership models enable the wealth generated in places to be more equitably shared by the workers and communities who create it.   The sector currently faces a challenge of fragmented and inaccessible support that can confuse and deter potential business leaders.   The Greater Manchester Independent Inequalities Commission recommended the creation of a community wealth hub to support and grow co-operatives, mutuals, social and community enterprises in the region.  Supporting the inclusive economy Working with Co-operatives UK, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority has established Our Business. This…

I Can

|
Employment
|

Context During the pandemic, Birmingham Anchor Network members Pioneer Housing Group identified that vulnerable residents were at risk of redundancy. At the same time Birmingham University Hospital Trust were struggling to recruit to entry level positions. Through their membership of the Network, they were able to develop a pilot scheme – Hospitality to Health. The project has then expanded in scope in November 2021 and renamed as I Can. It is led by the Birmingham & Solihull ICB, and has been designed, managed and delivered by a partnership of Anchor Network stakeholders…

Stay in Touch

    Join thousands of policy thinkers, makers and influencers receiving CLES updates

    Talk to us

    Want to make your local economy fairer and stronger? Talk to us – we’re here to help you make change happen.

    For press enquiries please reach out to us on rosielockwood@cles.org.uk, or by calling 07802 453340

    Contact us
    CLES
    Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.