Broadland Housing Group

Homes, community & support since 1963

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Broadland Housing AGM 2023: Maintaining Our Focus

Celebrating 60 years of service, Broadland Housing Association continues its unwavering commitment to addressing housing needs and homelessness. In the face of significant financial challenges, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) emphasised the dedication to Broadland’s mission.

AGM - Broadland Housing

Michael Newey, Chief Executive of Broadland Housing Association, pledged that the organisation would maintain its focus, despite the cost-of-living crisis and interest rates resulting in an unprecedented financial squeeze.

More people are unable to find affordable homes in the private sector than when we started, while our tenants are facing unparalleled economic pressures, with food inflation at a 42 year high, and energy costs still at very high levels.
Michael Newey, Chief Executive

Meeting Housing Demand

Michael Newey - AGM 2023

During the past financial year, Broadland Housing successfully delivered 131 new homes, compromising 55 for affordable rent and 76 for shared ownership.

Mr. Newey pointed out that the organisation’s ongoing struggle to balance managing existing homes, delivering quality services, and building new homes to meet growing housing demand, while ensuring sustainability.

He also emphasised the pressing housing need, revealing that 18,710 households in Norfolk and East Suffolk are on the waiting list for housing. Nationally, the availability of homes for rent has decreased by 1.1 million since 1979, with affordable homes in the overall housing stock declining from 31% to just 17% during the same period.

Optimism Amidst Challenges

Despite these challenges, Mr. Newey remains optimistic about the future.

We are proud of holding true to our purpose across our first 60 years, and the need for Broadland Housing is just as massive today as it ever was. Despite the frustration of facing our toughest financial year yet, we are optimistic for the future, and we will remain resolutely focussed on our purpose of tackling housing need and homelessness.
Michael Newey, Chief Executive

Selected Statistics from the 2022/23 Annual Report

  • 5,561 homes provided
  • 602 homes allocated, including 108 to homeless households
  • 15,557 responsive repairs completed
  • 439 tenants supported in sustaining their tenancies
  • 131 new homes delivered, compromising 55 for affordable rent and 76 for shared ownership

For more information, you can download the 2022/23 Annual Report from: www.broadlandgroup.org/about-us/governance-documents/annual-reviews.

Celebrating our 60th Birthday at Shipfield

We recently celebrated Broadland’s 60th birthday at Shipfield, our housing development scheme in Sprowston, founded in 1963. Tenants joined us in celebration with a barbeque, cake and a speech from our Chief Executive, Michael Newey.

The event took place on Shipfield’s green, situated in the heart of the scheme, bringing together the community, board members both past and present and our members to celebrate together!  

It’s completely sensible and right to be here at Shipfield today, because this was our very first scheme. I think it was a statement of intent and ambition building the scheme. It was very much about saying – We’re here. We’re going to provide decent homes at low rents to people in this community.
Michael Newey, Chief Executive

60 Years of Broadland

Broadland was founded in 1963 with a clear goal: to offer affordable housing to those who couldn’t afford homes in the open market, whether renting or owning. Despite challenges, including a shortage of social housing, we’ve continued to grow. 

We continually rise to the challenge of the development of new homes and tackling the needs for permanent accommodation. 

The need is still acute; there will be 271,000 people staying in temporary accommodation tonight; 130,000 of those are children. Despite our best efforts, today the social housing sector is 1.1 million homes smaller than it was in 1979.” 
 
When I joined 20 years ago, we had 3,464 homes. Today we have 5,634 – so we have grown on average by 110 homes a year over the last two decades.

Michael addressed the current financial climate with an optimistic outlook. 

It would be wrong not to acknowledge that we are in tough times right now; our 60th birthday is marked by financial pressure. But I am really optimistic for the future. We have a track record of making tough but right decisions so we can safeguard our tenants’ homes and also tackle the housing need in the county.
Michael Newey, Chief Executive

Employee Recognition

Over the last 60 years, we wouldn’t be where we are without our employees.

Broadland – I see as very much a people business. People are how we got here. Yes, we have delivered bricks and mortar, but it is actually people that delivered that. 
 
The commitment of board members, of residents, of staff over the last 60 years is the reason we are here today – I very much see it as a relay race, passing the baton on from one generation to another. None of us are owners of Broadland, we are custodians of Broadland.

As a result, Broadland is home to many longstanding employees dedicated to helping our tenants and housing schemes. 

We are very fortunate to have a very dedicated team – We’ve still got remarkably low turnover in staff. I think what holds people here is the commitment to our tenants and commitment to each other.
Michael Newey, Chief Executive

Shipfield
Shipfield

Anniversary Milestone

Our 60th anniversary is a milestone, not a destination. We’re excited about the future and will stay committed to our mission of addressing housing needs. 

We are looking forward to the future. Our priorities will stay completely true to our original purpose of tackling housing need and inequality, getting closer to our tenants, staying independent, and maintaining our geographical focus.
Michael Newey, Chief Executive

Events like this celebration allow our tenants to meet and speak with the people of Broadland. Connecting with our communities and celebrating our achievements is incredibly important as we continue to deliver Broadland’s mission. 

Shipfield

Good progress on net zero homes at Northrepps

Inspecting progress on net zero operational carbon homes at Northrepps, Norfolk

Good progress on net zero homes at Northrepps

Building work on our 19 new net zero-operational carbon homes at Northrepps is progressing well. Construction started earlier this year.

Inspecting progress on net zero operational carbon homes at Northrepps, Norfolk
From left to right: Jenny Watson (new board member); Councillor Angie Fitch-Tillett (NNDC), Gavin Smith (Northrepps Parish Council); Councillor Wendy Fredricks, Deputy Leader, NNDC; Chief Executive Michael Newey; Executive Development Director Andrew Savage

The new homes, off Broadgate Close in Northrepps village, have a range of features designed to maximise energy-efficiency and minimise the demand for energy.  They are the first net zero-operational carbon homes that Broadland has built.

Eight of the homes are for affordable rent and two for shared ownership. The remaining nine homes are being developed by Broadland St Benedicts for open market sale, and the proceeds will help to subsidise the affordable homes.

Michael Newey, Chief Executive (second from right in large picture), and Councillor Wendy Fredericks (third from right), portfolio holder for Housing and Peoples’ Services at North Norfolk District Council, toured the site with other housing officials to see how construction was progressing.

Energy-saving features

The new homes 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 off-set the estimated electricity usage for the average occupancy of each property.

The project has brought together a range of local experts to deliver on Broadland Housing’s commitment to low carbon impact construction. 

We are delighted to see how these new homes are progressing and to be able to demonstrate the first outlines of this new scheme with its eco technology.

The technology we are installing here will make these homes fuel efficient and reduce the energy bills for the new tenants as well as fulfilling our ambitions set out in our corporate strategy to reduce the environmental impact of the new homes we build.”

Michael Newey, Chief Executive

North Norfolk District Council welcomes the Broadland Housing Association scheme in Broadgate Close, Northrepps.  We have been supporting the scheme through the whole process working with Broadland Housing Association to build these badly needed homes in our District.

These new eco homes are incredibly important and will help residents reduce costs in the current climate.

Councillor Wendy Fredericks, North Norfolk District Council

The homes were designed by architects Ingleton Wood and are being built by Norwich-based contractor Smith of Honingham.

The scheme is due for completion in spring 2024.

Hindringham

Hindringham

Google Earth location
Site plan. Hindringham
Hingdringham 3D Model
Architect’s 3D model of proposed scheme

Working with North Norfolk District Council, we have started work on a new mixed-tenure scheme of 11 homes on Wells Road in Hindringham, Norfolk.

The new scheme includes:

  • 6 x 3-bedroom 5-person houses
  • 3 x 2-bedroom 4-person bungalows
  • 2 x 1-bedroom 2-person bungalows

The homes will provide a mix of 6 affordable rent, 1 shared ownership and 4 market sales properties. Building materials include brick, flint and timber, with clay roof tiles, to blend in with the local architecture.

The scheme is due for completion in 2024.

18 new family homes completed at Great Hockham

Great Hockham - key handover, May 2023

18 new family homes completed at Great Hockham

We recently celebrated the completion of 18 stunning new family homes at Great Hockham, including 10 affordable homes, in a partnership project with Breckland Council.

Great Hockham - key handover, May 2023
Councillor Sarah Suggitt (far left) and Michael Newey (far right), with the first new tenants at Great Hockham

Michael Newey, Chief Executive, and Councillor Sarah Suggitt, deputy leader of Breckland Council, officially handed over new house keys to Lara Linge and Bethany Allen, the first two tenants to move onto the development on Wretham Road.

Affordable homes for local people

Eight of the homes will be for affordable rent. Priority will be given to people with a connection to Great Hockham or the adjoining parishes, who are in housing need.

Two of the homes will be available for shared ownership. The remaining eight homes will be sold on the open market.

Michael Newey said:

This kind of mixed-tenure development, with a blend of affordable homes and open-market homes, is increasingly the way forward, both because it makes such schemes financially viable, but also because it encourages a better integration within the community.

We are meeting a genuine need for housing in rural village communities, which will enable local people to find homes in those communities and thus stay close to their support networks and make places such as Great Hockham more sustainable.

The only solution to the pressing housing need we face is to build more new homes.  The delivery of those homes depends on building a coalition of the willing and the able, as has happened here at Great Hockham.

We are very grateful to the housing team at Breckland Council who helped the scheme through the housing needs survey and consultation, and Great Hockham Parish Council for their support.  This scheme was voted for unanimously by the Planning committee, which shows the benefit of working in partnership in this way.

Michael Newey, Chief Executive, Broadland Housing Association

Councillor Sarah Suggitt, Deputy Leader for Breckland Council added:

It’s fantastic to see these affordable family homes, especially new rental homes, being brought onto the market for local people. We have been able to deliver this project by working in partnership with Broadland Housing, ensuring our residents can retain local connections and build a future within the district.  I look forward to seeing the first people moving in and calling Breckland home very soon.”

The 18 new homes were designed by architects Ingleton Wood. Chris Stammers, Architectural Director, said:

We’re proud to continue our collaboration with Broadland Housing Association in designing this sensitive rural housing scheme at Great Hockham.

We’ve tried to echo the charm and strong rural character of the village in a community-focused setting, with the layout of 18 homes grouped in traditional building clusters which are positioned around key landscape features, such as the new attenuation pond and framed views of existing mature trees.

We hope we’ve helped to create a nice place to live that sits well in the countryside and is appropriate for this delightful village location.

Case studies: new tenants

Lara and her son Ted, who is one and a half, moved into their new affordable rented home in April, after spending a year living in her parents’ home in Watton.

“I am very grateful to be offered this home, as it was cramped and difficult living with my parents,” said Lara, who grew up locally.

“The new home is amazing, it is lovely inside, it’s laid out really nicely.  Not only have I now got a safe garden for Ted, but Great Hockham is a wonderful community with lots going on, and it will be a great place for Ted to grow up.

Living next door to Lara is Bethany Allen, who learned that she was to have one of the new homes in Great Hockham just three days after giving birth to her son Riley-Christopher. 

“I was so thrilled when I heard, I did my little happy dance in the middle of Watton, where I was shopping with my mum,” she said.

Bethany now lives in her new home with Riley-Christopher and her daughter Sienna-Rose, who is two.  She was previously living in a cramped flat in Watton.

“Where I was living was really unsuitable, I was struggling to get the pram down the stairs, and it had no outside space for the children,” she said.  “I am so excited to have more space, and a garden for the kids to play in.”

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