News

 

Guests celebrating the start of building work at Broadland Housing’s new scheme at Trunch today [5 July 2017] got a high-tech preview of how it will look when it’s finished – and the future of the construction industry. 

The Cornish Avenue scheme comprises 12 affordable homes: a mix of 3-bedroom, 2-bedroom and 1-bedroom houses, plus a 1-bedroom bungalow. The scheme design reflects traditional rural settlements in north Norfolk, with houses grouped informally and a green open space overlooking rural scenery beyond.

Broadland Development Services will be carrying out the work, in association with architects Ingleton Wood and builders John Youngs. The scheme will be completed in 2018.

Partnership working

Around 30 guests attended the turf-turning event, including representatives from North Norfolk District Council, the parish council, Ingleton Wood, John Youngs and Broadland board members.

Michael Newey, Group Chief Executive, Broadland Housing, said:

“Affordable housing is vital for the survival of our rural communities and services. This innovative new scheme offers a lifeline to local people, making it possible for them to live near their families, friends and places of work.”

Cllr Richard Price, North Norfolk District Council’s portfolio holder for housing, said:

“It’s especially fitting that we celebrate the start of works to build these new homes in Rural Housing Week. This housing scheme will deliver vital new affordable homes to meet the local housing need of Trunch and the adjoining parishes of Gimingham, Knapton, Mundesley, Southrepps and Swafield.”

High-tech 3D panoramas

Visitors accessed stunning 3D panoramas of the new affordable housing scheme using a world-first Google Tango prototype device. They could also ‘view’ individual properties by scanning QR codes on posts dotted around the site, and try on smart glasses to view a sample instructional video for construction workers.

Ed Godden, Scheme Architect, Ingleton Wood, and Project Manager for the ACCEPT project, explained how the European Horizon 2020-funded project will improve overall quality and knowledge transfer on construction sites. Broadland Housing sites will pilot the ACCEPT technology in real-life applications and provide valuable feedback, starting with Trunch. He said:

“Communication is a critical part of the construction process. For centuries, architects, contractors and craftsmen have relied on paper drawings and site meetings, but the ACCEPT project is now working with people across the industry to bring the industry into the 21^st century. Smartphones, tablets and wearable technologies like smart glasses will make it easier than ever for site workers to access design information. The effects will be significant – higher quality and more energy-efficient buildings.”

James Phillips, General Manager of John Youngs, said:

“Building relationships and working collaboratively with Broadland Housing and the design team will provide the best opportunity to deliver this project to the quality and standard it deserves. The design from Ingleton Wood is both innovative and sympathetic to its surroundings – it has been great to see the ACCEPT 3D technology in action at the turf-turning today and it will be an added benefit during the building process. We look forward to working in north Norfolk and contributing towards the local community in Trunch.”

The event at Trunch marks the start of the Broadland Housing Group and North Norfolk District Council’s collaborative partnership to develop 106 new homes. Known as the mixed housing scheme, this initiative will deliver six sites on land provided by North Norfolk District Council, Broadland Housing Group and purchased from third parties.

Site photos: David Kirkham
Simulation pic: Ingleton Wood

From 1 August 2017 we will be changing the opening hours of our King’s Lynn and Dereham Area Offices, after reviewing visitor numbers:

• King’s Lynn – open Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (closed Tuesdays and Fridays)
• Dereham – open Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays (closed Wednesdays and Fridays)

See full details of opening hours at all our Area Offices. For any queries, please contact Katie.Docherty@broadlandgroup.org

 

 

Broadland Housing has acted swiftly to ensure the safety of tenants, following the Grenfell Tower fire.

Following testing by the Building Research Establishment on Friday 23 June, a sample of cladding from Broadland Housing’s Brennan Bank on Geoffrey Watling Way was found to be a current cause for concern in high-rise buildings, although it compares with building regulations and has been used in accordance with the approved plans.

Although Broadland Housing only has medium-rise properties (of six storeys or fewer), it immediately called an review meeting. This was held at its offices today (Saturday 24 June) with representatives from Broadland Housing, Norwich City Council, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, developer Taylor Wimpey and managing agents of the adjacent blocks.

The review meeting today discussed the safety implications of the cladding and reviewed the fire risk assessments for all the blocks in question.

The review concluded that the risks posed by the cladding can be mitigated by remedial action in the short term. A letter has been delivered to residents of the affected blocks today, informing them that:

• A trained warden will be employed to inspect the blocks and reassure and advise residents about fire safety, 24/7.
• Advice has been provided to residents about fire safety in their homes and in the communal areas. Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service will also offer residents home fire safety checks.
• In the interim, and until further notice, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has strongly recommended that the current evacuation policy to ‘stay put’ is replaced by a policy to ‘evacuate immediately’ in the case of a fire.
• In the interim, parking under the blocks will be suspended and alternative parking arrangements will be made for residents.

Developer Taylor Wimpey has given the same advice to residents of its private apartments in neighbouring buildings, which are of the same construction.

“Although we don’t have any high-rise properties, only medium-rise, we wanted to put additional measures in place to reassure our tenants,” explained Louise Archer, Executive Property Director, Broadland Housing.

James Belcher, Head of Planning at Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We have been providing advice to Broadland Housing Association, Taylor Wimpey and the managing agents of adjacent blocks, and having reviewed their fire risk assessments, have agreed how the risk of a fire starting in these buildings could be reduced even further.

“We are confident in the additional measures that will be put in place to help keep residents safe. As an additional precaution, we have also made sure that in the event of a fire at these buildings, we would be able to respond with extra fire engines. I understand residents may still have concerns so fire service officers have have been going door to door in these buildings today giving advice and reassurance, answering questions and leaving contact details in case anyone wants to book a home fire risk check.”

Broadland Housing complied with a request from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) for all councils and housing associations to submit information about any buildings of six storeys and above that they own or manage.

Any organisations that reported that they had cladding of any kind on their buildings were subsequently asked to submit a sample to the Building Research Establishment. Broadland Housing complied with that request, and late on Friday 23 June, it was informed by the DCLG that the cladding which had been tested on Brennan Bank was a current cause for concern. 

The review meeting today held at the offices of Broadland Housing took these findings seriously and acted swiftly, following the guidance of the DCLG.

Watch Group Chief Executive Michael Newey being interviewed on Norfolk Now TV report (26 June)

 

 

 

 

 

We’ll be starting construction work on our Highfield Close development in Great Ryburgh, Norfolk, at the end of this month [May 2017].

The scheme consists of 5 homes – a bungalow and 4 houses – all for affordable rent. It will be known as Housden Court (see artist’s impression, left, and site plan below). The homes are due to be completed in January 2018.

We’ve appointed H Smith & Sons of Honingham, a long-established family-run company, as our main contractor.

For any queries or concerns once the construction is underway, please call Carole Grimes, Development Administrator, Broadland Housing, on 01603 750115.