Broadland Housing Group

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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

Living Wage Week 2022: why a fair wage matters this year more than ever

Living Wage Week 2022 - accredited employer graphic

To celebrate Living Wage Week (14 to 20 November 2022), Norwich employers and employees have shared their stories, explaining why a real Living Wage matters more than ever during the cost-of-living crisis.

The real Living Wage is an hourly rate of pay calculated by the Living Wage Foundation based on what people need to live on to pay for costs including fuel, energy, rent and food. It currently stands at £10.90/hr outside London, and is paid voluntarily by employers, going beyond the national minimum rates set by Government – just £9.50/hr for anyone over the age of 23.

During Living Wage Week, Norwich’s Future Radio listeners can tune in for a full schedule of features, quizzes and interviews, and residents should look out for Living Wage messages that have been painted around the city (pictured).

Phoenix Events (East) Ltd, a security and events management company, is an accredited Living Wage Employer based in Norwich. Anna Ryan, Operations Manager at Phoenix Events (East) Ltd, explains why the business pays the Real Living Wage and the impact it has had:

We are striving to ensure that anyone who comes to work for Phoenix will always feel like their work is valued. This should be reflected not only in the way the company treats them, and the service we provide, but in their payslip at the end of the month. We see the difference it makes for our employees to see that what they do is being recognised, not by paying them the bare minimum, but a fair wage people can live on. 

This extends even more so to our younger employees, who would earn considerably less under the National Minimum Wage. Many 18-year-olds have the same financial responsibilities as people well into their 20s and 30s – why should someone be paid less for doing the same job?

Jesse Manning, Cleaning Coordinator at Broadland Housing, an accredited Living Wage Employer since 2015, described how being paid a Real Living Wage has affected him:

When I started working for Broadland it was the first time I had ever been paid the Real Living Wage. With the increase in wages, I was lucky to find a social rented flat, with the Real Living Wage helping secure this tenancy, because I could now afford the rent. The stability of my having my own home gave my life a real positive boost and the chance to live independently. 

At Broadland, I am part of the team that reviews and awards new contracts. I am proud that Broadland are a Living Wage Employer, and that it also requires its contractors to pay the Real Living Wage too. For me this so important. It has made such a difference to my own life, and I like to think that it will help others in the same way.

Norwich Living Wage City Action Group is a coalition of local businesses, charities and public sector organisations who are already accredited Living Wage employers. It is aiming to triple the number of employers paying the real Living Wage to 150 by 2025. There are currently 50 Real Living Wage accredited employers in Norwich, meaning 1,114 workers have already received a pay rise that meets the real Living Wage.

Martham – housing needs survey

Broadland Housing homes at Trunch

Martham – housing needs survey

Broadland Housing Association agreed with Martham Parish Council to carry out a survey about housing need in the parish.

If the survey identifies there is sufficient need for affordable homes, Broadland Housing Association will work in partnership with the Parish Council and local landowners to deliver either a 100% affordable housing scheme or a mixed-tenure housing exception scheme in the village, dependent on need and funding.

Background

Exception housing schemes are provided on land in the countryside that would otherwise not be permitted for development. The homes on an exception housing scheme are allocated using the Local Allocations Agreement. This ensures that homes are prioritised for households with a local connection to the parish where the scheme is located and the adjoining civil parishes. In this case the scheme forms part of a larger allocated development at the entrance to the village, off Repps Road.

Housing need

Housing need in rural areas can often be hidden and not necessarily visible to the wider community or statutory authorities. An individual or household is considered to be in housing need when:

  • they require separate or alternative accommodation AND
  • they are unable to rent or buy housing generally available on the open market.

Affordable homes

Two tenures of affordable homes are typically provided on exception housing schemes:

  • Affordable rent properties are let at rents discounted at 80% of market and generally capped at the Local Housing Allowance.
  • Shared ownership allows a household to buy an equity share of their home and pay rent on the portion retained by the housing association. Broadland Housing Association will retain the freehold. Shared owners are able to purchase equity shares up to an 80% cap of property value.

A small number of market sale homes may also be required to generate cross-subsidy and make the affordable homes more financially viable.

Whether you consider yourself to be in housing need or not, the information you provide is important as it will help give a wider understanding of the local housing market. Information you provide will be treated as strictly private and confidential and only used for the purposes of this survey.

All households are asked to complete Part 1 of the survey. Those who consider they have a housing need for affordable rent, shared ownership or market sale are asked to also complete Part 2 of the survey.

If there is more than one person or group of people living within your current household potentially needing separate accommodation, then they should complete separate survey forms. Previous residents of the Parish who have moved away and wish to return may also complete the survey.

Martham - housing needs survey

  • Part 1: You and your household

    Your connection to Marsham Parish.
  • By household we mean a single person/group of people who have the address as their only/main residence and who either share one meal a day or share the living/sitting room.
    ***If YES and you want to remain living in Martham, please complete Part 2 of this survey so we can collect information about your housing needs***

  • Part 2: About you and your housing needs

    Only complete this section if you need to move into alternative accommodation but want to remain living in Martham.

  • Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire. Your answers are important and will help us identify housing need in the village

If you have any queries, please contact Adam Ballard.

Corpusty

Artist impression of proposed new development atCorpusty, Norfolk

Corpusty

The pre-planning consultation for Norwich Road, Corpusty is now closed. As part of the planning process, there will be further opportunity for members of the community in Corpusty to view and comment on the proposed 38 new homes.

Meanwhile, please watch a video of our proposals.

If you have any queries, please contact Adam Ballard.

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