Jonathan Cowie, Chief Executive of Plymouth Community Homes has been appointed as Co-Chair of Homes for the South West (H4SW), the leading voice for affordable housing in the region. He shares this title with Selina White, Chief Executive of Magna Housing, which operates across Dorset and Somerset.
Homes for the South West (H4SW) is a not-for-profit organisation made up of the 12 largest housing associations in the South West of England, including Plymouth Community Homes. The organisation works collectively to tackle the growing shortage of affordable housing in the region by advocating for increased development supported by greater regional investment.
Together, H4SW members own more than 250,000 properties, providing homes for more than half a million people. Their operational area stretches from Land’s End to Wiltshire and includes rural Devon, Cornwall and Somerset as well as urban areas like Bristol, Swindon, Exeter and Plymouth.
The 12 coalition members contribute more than £1bn annually to the local economy but they also lead on building affordable homes in the region – including social rent homes and homes for shared ownership purchase – with up to a combined 25,000 new homes planned for development over the next 5 years, and a joint investment capacity of £4bn for new affordable housing.
Jonathan Cowie, Chief Executive at Plymouth Community Homes, said:
“I am absolutely delighted to be co-chairing Homes for the South West with Selina, and privileged to take on the role of representing social housing organisations across the wider South West region. In the last six years, H4SW has been incredibly successful in prioritising increased development, and in lobbying for support to help providers build more social homes.
“I’m ambitious about the potential the organisation has in the coming years to work in a new political environment, as we see more devolved mayoral authorities being established, so social housing providers in the South West can join forces and really drive through positive change.
“I’ll be working with Selina to help our members collaborate even more closely with politicians and decision-making bodies to ensure new affordable housing is being prioritised in our communities, as well as seeking further regional investment to help those communities thrive. I’m also keen to explore the potential for social housing providers to be working more closely together across the region to help the sector deliver on its promises, creating a stronger supply chain and developing consistent standards which drive improvements to benefit all our residents.”
Homes for the South West Co-Chair Selina White said:
“I’m delighted to be taking on the role of Co‑Chair of Homes for the South West with Jonathan at such an important moment for our region. Our members share a clear ambition: to deliver more genuinely affordable homes, including social rent, and to keep investing in existing homes so they’re safe, warm and fit for the future.
“But to turn that ambition into delivery, we need the right conditions – long‑term certainty on funding, a stable policy environment, and practical solutions to unlock land, infrastructure and planning barriers.
“Homes for the South West will keep using our collective voice to work with national and local partners, including emerging devolved authorities, to make sure the South West gets the investment and support it needs. And that growth goes hand‑in‑hand with high standards, sustainability and great outcomes for residents and communities.”
Members of H4SW include Abri, Alliance Homes, Livewest, Bromford Flagship Coastline, Curo, Green Square Accord, Magna, Plymouth Community Homes, Sovereign Network Group (SNG), Stonewater and Westward.
In November 2025, Homes for the South West published its Position Statement, acknowledging the progress made since the 2024 general election while also setting out the support the sector will need to meet the South West’s expected contribution of 135,000 new homes towards the Government’s overall housing target.
For more information about Homes for the South West, visit https://homesforthesouthwest.co.uk/
