A merger between two of the biggest housing associations operating in Cumbria is now complete.

West Cumbria-based Impact Housing officially becomes part of Riverside today, following the completion of a legal process triggered an agreement by both boards.

Impact's shareholders voted overwhelmingly in June to become a subsidiary of Riverside, a move which they say would make the future of organisation more viable.

Tenants have been assured the new partnership would result in no rent increases while Impact's 120 employees would have their jobs secured until at least 2020.

Riverside has also pledged to invest £25m in improving Impact's 2,770 houses in Cumbria and Lancashire.

Impact announced in January that it had started talks with Riverside. This came after mounting financial pressure on Impact due to Government-imposed rent cuts and the 2015 Storm Desmond floods, which cost it more than £6m.

Bryonie Shaw, Impact’s interim managing director, said: “The announcement is the result of almost a year of very intensive work to seek a strong partner that will secure Impact’s future and win the support of our tenants, shareholders and local partners in our joint plans.

"Riverside impressed our board from the outset with its strong commitment to partnership working and values that place customers at the heart of service delivery.

“The association already has a strong local presence, particularly in Carlisle, and the whole partnership has felt like a very natural fit.

"I’m really thrilled that we are now in a position to make a real difference to our customers’ homes and lives whilst revitalising our development programme of new affordable homes within the region.”

Riverside’s "partnership pledge" will also secure the future of Impact's popular community projects such as the furniture resource centres in Carlisle, Workington and Barrow along with the Oval Centre in Salterbeck, Workington.

Riverside owns and manages 55,000 homes in England and Scotland, including 6,500 in Cumbria.

Carol Matthews, Riverside’s group chief executive, said: “Welcoming Impact into the Riverside family is a really fitting way to celebrate our 90th year as a provider of social housing.

"It’s a landmark event that we have all worked hard to bring to fruition and the start of an exciting new chapter for both our organisations.

"Our priority now is to begin delivering the promises in our partnership pledge with a clear focus on strengthening Impact’s financial position and governance arrangements.

“We will maintain local service delivery to customers through the offices and colleagues they know and trust whilst we begin scoping out with them the ambitious housing improvement programme.

"Over the next two to three years we will be looking to re-ignite Impact’s development programme and begin exploring the potential to bring our two organisations’ operations closer together across the region.”