Broadland Housing Group

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Homelessness strategy day 2023 – Homes for Cathy

Last week Broadland Housing attended a national Homes for Cathy strategy day on tackling homelessness.

Around 30 other Homes for Cathy members and housing sector partners took part in the event, hosted by Hightown Housing Association.

Michael Newey at Homes for Cathy strategy meeting 2023 (3rd from left)
Broadland Housing Chief Executive Michael Newey (3rd from left)

Our Chief Executive Michael Newey shared Broadland’s journey in working towards the 9 Homes for Cathy commitments.

Homelessness prevention is not all about care and  supported housing. It should permeate into every area of a housing association’s policy and operations.

Michael Newey, Chief Executive

Also among the speakers on the day, Holly Dagnall of Nottingham Community Housing Association described her organisation’s progress to meet the Homes for Cathy commitments.

Chris Hancock from Crisis explained why homelessness is a housing problem and not about ‘fixing the individual’. He reported that B&B usage has tripled in the last 10 years. Also, that around 300,000 UK households could be forced into homelessness in 2023, driven by the cost of living and impacts of the pandemic.

Key themes and insights

During the strategy meeting, members and partners discussed :
– Housing associations ARE homelessness organisations – if not us, who?
– Board and executive team buy-in for adopting the Homes for Cathy commitments is crucial; an organisation’s work around homelessness should filter down from a strategic level.
– Embedding the commitments is a continuous process, particularly with staff changes – it’s about a culture shift within your organisation.
– Operational outcomes in housing are equally as important as homelessness services (although they are vital too!).
– Data is king – knowing and sharing your data around homelessness metrics/KPIs such as evictions, abandonments and lettings to homeless households helps track the progress your organisation is making and motivates and empowers colleagues to do more.
– Sharing stories is key – every organisation approaches the commitments in their own way and the good practice shared through the Homes for Cathy network is invaluable.


No Homelessness in Norfolk – winter campaign

As a member of the Norfolk Strategic Housing Partnership, we support No Homelessness in Norfolk, a partnership of people working together to prevent homelessness across the county.

The latest No Homelessness in Norfolk social media campaign is encouraging people to contact local advice agencies and/or their local council as soon as they are worried about housing costs this winter.

Typically there is an increase in homelessness in January and February. This year, with the cost of living crisis, this situation is likely to be more acute this winter than in previous years.

At Broadland we are encouraging our tenants to get in touch asap if they are worried about paying their rent and signposting people to our cost of living help page.

Norfolk Strategic Housing Partnership

The Norfolk Strategic Housing Partnership was formed in autumn 2020, bringing
partners together at a strategic level with a mandate for change. The members include:

  • Norwich City Council
  • Breckland Council
  • South Norfolk District Council
  • North Norfolk District Council
  • Great Yarmouth District Council
  • Broadland District Council
  • Borough Council of Kings Lynn & West Norfolk
  • Norfolk County Council
  • Ministry of Justice Department
  • Norfolk Police
  • Police & Crime Commissioners Office
  • Norfolk & Waveney CCG
  • Norfolk County Council Public Health
  • Clarion Housing Group
  • Department of Work and Pensions
  • HM Prison and Probation Service
  • Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
  • Voluntary Sector representative
  • Flagship Group
  • Saffron Housing Trust
  • Broadland Housing Association


Derelict Norwich site transformed into homes for social rent

New social rent homes at Mile Cross Norwich

Derelict Norwich site transformed into homes for social rent

We have partnered with Norwich City Council to build 5 eco-friendly new homes on a formerly derelict site in Mile Cross, Norwich. 

New social rent homes at Mile Cross Norwich
New social rent homes at Mile Cross Norwich, built by Broadland Housing Association for Norwich City Council
Bungalow for social rent built by Broadland Housing Association for Norwich City Council, Mile Cross, Norwich
Michael Newey (Broadland Housing Association, Gail Harris (Norwich City Council) and Andrew Savage (Broadland Housing Association) outside the new social rent homes at Mile Cross Norwich

Norwich City Council bought the site of the former King’s Arms public house in 2020 to build social housing, using a compulsory purchase order. The site had been left to stand derelict for years by its previous owner.   

1 x 2-bedroom bungalow, 1 x 5-bedroom house and 3 x 4-bedroom houses have been built on the land. The homes have been let by Norwich City Council through its housing register, providing the types of homes most needed by applicants. Each of the families has been able to move away from homes that were no longer suitable for them, making these properties available for new tenants.  

Eco-design reduces energy costs

The homes are designed to save tenants money on heating and hot water. They have extra insulation and low-carbon features, including air source heat pumps, triple glazing and solar panels. Each property also has an electric vehicle charging point. They have been thoughtfully designed to complement the established residential area.  

To make access to the development possible, the city council also acquired the house next door to the site. This was a former council home sold under the government’s Right to Buy scheme. It is now back in the city’s social housing stock.  

Creative solution to meet demand for affordable housing

Councillor Gail Harris, Norwich City Council’s cabinet member for social housing (pictured above, second right), visited the site this week to welcome the 5 new households:  

Turning this deserted plot into much-needed social homes is a fantastic outcome for the city.  

It has been wonderful to meet some of the new residents already getting settled just in time for Christmas.  

Purchasing the King’s Arms site to benefit the community is an example of how we are being creative to address the demand for affordable housing in the city.

Councillor Gail Harris, Norwich City Council’s cabinet member for social housing

Mark, who has moved into the bungalow on the site, said:

It’s a lovely home, it couldn’t be better. We have downsized from a 3-bedroom house in Norwich and no longer need to worry about the stairs. 

Sam, another new resident who has moved from within Mile Cross, said:

We are really pleased to have moved in before Christmas and have already met lots of neighbours.  

This new home gives our family more space, and staying in the area has meant we haven’t had to change anything else.

Broadland Housing managed the project for the council and the homes were built by Smith of Honingham.  

We are delighted to work in partnership with Norwich City Council once again, this time as their Development Agent. Norwich City have taken a site which has been disused for many years and turned it into beautiful new homes in our city. We continue to be proud of our partnership with the council. It shows just what can be done with thoughtful insight and imagination.

Andrew Savage, Executive Development Director, Broadland Housing Association (pictured above, right)

Our partnership with Norwich City Council, has been fruitful over the years, with many new homes provided for the people of Norwich. As homeless numbers continue to raise, and many families in our city struggling to find good quality, well-maintained properties, these new homes are needed now more than ever.

Michael Newey, Chief Executive, Broadland Housing Association (pictured above, left)

Housing conference focuses on the importance of listening to tenants

Housing conference focuses on the importance of listening to tenants

The first Independent East conference was held near Norwich in November 2022. More than 100 tenants, board members and staff attended from five housing associations based in Norfolk and Suffolk. The conference focused on what lies in store for social housing in 2023 and the important role of tenants.

Independent East Conference November 2022, delegates discussing in group around a table
Independent East Conference November 2022,3 delegates chatting at table
Independent East Conference November 2022, speaker Kate Dodsworth from Regulator of Social Housing
Independent East Conference, November 2022

There were keynote speeches from housing experts Hilary Burkitt, Director of Housing at IFF Research; Kathryn Eyre, Quality, Engagement & Development Director of the Housing Ombudsman; and Kate Dodsworth, Director of Consumer Regulation for the Regulator of Social Housing. The programme also included table discussions and opportunities for questions.

Creative collaboration

In their discussions, the participants focused on creative collaboration as a key solution to the challenges faced by housing associations. They discussed how these challenges might be alleviated by really listening to tenants and putting them at the heart of decisions in the difficult year(s) ahead.

I found the keynote speeches informative, positive and thought-provoking. The whole conference was uplifting and well attended by tenants. It shows a growing interest in how attitudes to social housing and engaging with our landlords are changing.

Jane, a Broadland tenant who participated

It’s important for the sector to come together and think deeply about the challenges they are facing at the moment in such unprecedented times. The takeaway from today is a real sense that everyone is up for the challenge that we’re facing. Despite the great difficulties for housing associations, for tenants, everyone is up for thinking about how they are going to address these challenges and to make sure we are doing our very best for all of our tenants.

Hilary Burkitt, Director of Housing IFF Research

The event was organised by Independent East, an informal alliance of five community‐focused housing associations in the East of England – Broadland Housing, Freebridge Community Housing, Havebury Housing Partnership, Saffron Housing Trust, and Orwell Housing Association.

Independent East will continue to work collaboratively together and with tenants to address common issues, sharing ideas and best practice to continually improve services and better the lives of their customers.

CEOs of Independent East housing associations, November 2022
The CEOs of the five Independent East housing associations: from left to right: James Francis (Saffron); Michael Newey (Broadland); Anita Jones (Freebridge); Andrew Smith (Havebury); Wendy Evans-Hendrick (Orwell)

Work starts on new net zero homes at Northrepps, Norfolk

North Repps eco homes - architect image

Work starts on new net zero homes at Northrepps, Norfolk

North Repps eco homes - architect image
Architect’s image of new net zero homes at Northrepps, Norfolk, when completed

As world leaders gather in Egypt to discuss the climate emergency at the COP27 summit, Broadland Housing has started to build its first net zero operational carbon homes, in north Norfolk.

We are building 19 new homes at Northrepps, using a range of property types to respond to local housing need.  Eight of the homes are for affordable rent and two for shared ownership. The remaining nine homes are being developed by Broadland Housing’s subsidiary Broadland St Benedicts for open market sale. The proceeds from these homes will go towards subsidising the affordable homes.

Low-carbon impact construction

All the new homes at Northrepps will feature an enhanced insulated timber frame, triple-glazed windows, air source heat pumps, air tightness with mechanical ventilation, and heat recovery to minimise energy demand.

Photovoltaic solar panels on the homes’ roofs are predicted to generate sufficient electricity over the course of the year to offset the estimated electricity usage for the average occupancy of each property.

The project has brought together a range of local experts to deliver on our commitment to low-carbon impact construction. 

This commitment is particularly aimed at reflecting affordable ‘lived in’ costs – an issue which is becoming increasingly important for householders in the current energy crisis.

The project team has been exploring the changes Norfolk developers and the construction industry need to implement to achieve net zero carbon.

We have also been working with local contractors and suppliers to encourage them to engage with their existing supply chains to increase the effectiveness of workmanship and products, which can be replicated on future projects.  The key is to find the ‘sweet’ spot between construction technique and cost.

Andrew Savage, Executive Development Director

Meeting local housing need

The new net zero operational carbon homes are forecast to be completed in spring 2024. Households in housing need with a local connection to Northrepps and physically adjoining parishes will be able to apply on North Norfolk District Council’s website for them.

The development at Northrepps is part of an ongoing effort to reduce the environmental impact of the new homes that Broadland Housing builds.

The COP27 summit is focusing everyone’s attention on climate change, but the issues of environmental impact and energy affordability have been on our radar for a long time.

We are now turning our attention to reducing the embodied carbon from the manufacturing and construction process along with providing biodiversity net gain on our developments. For example, trees used in manufacturing the timber frame that have absorbed carbon, along with a rewilding area adjacent to the site, will help offset carbon emissions from the construction process itself.

Work is now in progress on future schemes to source construction materials more locally and provide wetlands for surface water drainage and nutrient neutrality.

Andrew Savage, Executive Development Director
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