South Korea learns from Wythenshawe

A group of South Korean housing professionals have been to Wythenshawe to find out and learn from Parkway Green Housing Trust (PGHT) how it manages its homes.

This is the third year running the group, facilitated by the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at Birmingham University, has visited to see how things are done in Wythenshawe.

During the day, the group heard presentations from PGHT Chief Executive, Nigel Wilson, and Director of Communities and Investment, Ian Gregg, on the history of Parkway Green and how it is delivering a £90m improvement programme. The group then went on a mini-bus tour of Parkway Green's estates to see first-hand the difference that is being made, before closing the morning with a question and answer session with Cllr Tony Burns, chair of the PGHT Board, and Wyn Casey, Tenant Board Member.

South Korea currently has very little housing association or council housing, but the government their is now planning to build one million houses in its social sector by 2012 and is keen to pick up good practice and tips for how this can best be achieved.

Chief Executive, Nigel Wilson said, "We were delighted to welcome our South Korean friends back to Wythenshawe for the third year running. It was fantastic to see just how much enthusiasm and ambition they all had for housing and it's through these partnerships and by sharing best practice that we can make social housing a success in our respective countries."