Broadland Housing Association

Homes, community & support since 1963

    • housing

    New alliance aims to improve services for tenants

    CEOs of Norfolk and Suffolk social housing providers in Independent East
    Top row: Michael Newey (Broadland), Andrew Smith (Havebury)
    Front row: Anita Jones (Freebridge), James Francis (Saffron), Wendy Evans-Hendrick (Orwell)
    Logos of 5 local housing associations in Independent East

    Broadland Housing has joined 4 other social housing providers in Norfolk and Suffolk to form a new informal alliance, Independent East.

    Broadland has agreed to share knowledge, experience and good practice with partners Freebridge Community Housing, Havebury Housing Partnership, Orwell Housing and Saffron Housing Trust.

    The aim is to support each other in delivering better services to our tenants and local communities. The new alliance will also create a collective lobbying voice for social housing in the region.

    Independent East describes itself as:

    …made up of independently minded, and individually sustainable, housing associations with similar and complementary values and business objectives based in Norfolk and Suffolk, which are willing to share knowledge and experience; to support each other in the delivery of our individual corporate strategies; and to explore opportunities to work better together.

    Independent East manifesto

    The 5 organisations will create senior management forums to explore the potential for common approaches. However, each housing association will continue to operate independently of the others.

    We are very much looking forward to collaborating with our Independent East Partners over the coming months and years.

    We will be working together on new projects, sharing ideas and best practices, and supporting each other to have the biggest possible impact on the communities we serve while driving innovation and change within the housing industry.

    This ambitious partnership fits well with our long-term customer-focused objectives, and we are proud to be a part of it.”

    Wendy Evans-Hendrick, CEO, Orwell Housing Association

    East of England Social Housing Regulator Meeting, October 2021

    • Kate Dodsworth at Regulator for Social Housing meeting at Broadland Housing Association, October 2021
    • Tenant at Regulator for Social Housing meeting at Broadland Housing Association, October 2021
    • Michael Newey at Regulator for Social Housing meeting at Broadland Housing Association, October 2021
    • Tenants at Regulator for Social Housing meeting at Broadland Housing Association, October 2021
    • Tenants' concerns at Regulator for Social Housing meeting at Broadland Housing Association, October 2021
    • Tenant at Regulator for Social Housing meeting at Broadland Housing Association, October 2021
    (Top left) Kate Dodsworth, Director of Consumer Regulation, RSH, addressing tenants;
    (top right) Michael Newey, Chief Executive of Broadland Housing Association;
    (above) tenants participating in workshop sessions

    Kate Dodsworth, Director of Consumer Regulation at the Housing Regulator, met tenants from 7 social housing providers across the eastern region at a meeting hosted by Broadland Housing in October.

    The aim was to get tenants’ feedback on what is important to them and how well their landlord listens to their issues and concerns.

    The meeting, organised jointly by Placeshapers and the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), was an exciting opportunity for tenants to give their views directly to the Regulator.

    Social Housing White Paper

    Last year, the Government published its Social Housing White Paper. This requires RSH to change the way it carries out consumer regulation in social housing and to create a new consumer function. RSH wants to hear from social housing tenants over the next few years on a range of topics relating to this, to better understand what matters to them. This will help RSH shape how the new consumer function should work in practice.

    The session at Carrow Road, Norwich, covered how regulation in the social housing sector works at the moment and the changes the White Paper is introducing, and the opportunities coming up to engage further with RSH.

    Positive feedback from tenants

    The day started with a joint meeting between members of Independent East (a partnership between Broadland Housing, Freebridge, Havebury, Saffron and Orwell Housing). Tenants from the housing associations learned how they could influence positive change with their landlords, share best practice and discuss the issues they face.  There were also opportunities for tenants to share their thoughts with RSH directly during workshop sessions. 

    The feedback from the meeting was very positive: 93% of tenants who attended said they would like to see a new forum set up. The most popular topics for further discussion are: reviewing service standards, reviewing complaints together and training.

    Tenants were also interested in attending other ad hoc workshops and seminars. This is an exciting development in the sector and we will be posting more news and developments as they happen.

    Celebration at Canary Quay honours social housing champions

    Broadland Housing has celebrated naming apartment blocks at Canary Quay, Norwich, after Baroness Patricia Hollis and Richard Hawthorn, both passionate supporters of social housing.

    • Naming ceremony, Patricia Hollis House and Richard Hawthorn House, Canary Quay, Norwich
    • Naming ceremony for Patricia Hollis House and Richard Hawthorne House, Canary Quay, Norwich
    • Tenants at Canary Quay, naming ceremony for Patricia Hollis House and Richard Hawthorn House, Norwich
    • Naming ceremony for Patricia Hollis House and Richard Hawthorne House, Canary Quay, Norwich
    • Naming ceremony for Patricia Hollis House and Richard Hawthorne House, Canary Quay, Norwich

    Speakers Lord Alan Howarth and MP Clive Lewis joined Canary Quay tenants at the naming ceremony, which was held on the site at Geoffrey Watling Way, Norwich. The development of over 300 new homes on the riverside is a partnership between Broadland Housing and R G Carter.

    ‘Somewhere to call home’

    Baroness Hollis, who died in 2018, was chair of Broadland Housing Association from 2009 until 2015, at the time when the vision for Canary Quay was created.  Richard Hawthorn was a tenant Board member of the housing association from 2010 until his death in 2017.

    Welcoming guests to the celebration, Broadland Housing Association Chief Executive Michael Newey said the occasion was bittersweet. 

    Patricia and Richard were amazing as Board members. They both played a significant part in making this development reality.  It’s fitting that their names adorn the first two blocks which have been completed here, because above all both of them felt it was very important that people have somewhere to call home.

    Michael Newey, Chief Executive, Broadland Housing Associatoin

    Lord Howarth (pictured above, centre), who was Baroness Hollis’ partner, said:

    Patricia was not about public recognition, but she would have been very proud to have her name associated with a social housing project in Norwich.  She would have been thrilled at the fulfilment of this project.

    She was very happy to be invited to chair Broadland Housing Association. She loved working with them, and was very proud of what they achieved.

    Patricia was also very fond of Richard Hawthorn, a fellow trustee and a great advocate for the interests of Broadland’s tenants.

    Lord Alan Howarth

    ‘Community is all about people’

    Norwich South MP Clive Lewis said that the new development was a community space which would enable the community to flourish.

    Ultimately community is about people. It’s about buildings, it’s about infrastructure, it’s about talking, and Patricia was very good at all of those things. She was a community builder.

    When people look at the name Patricia Hollis on this building in years to come, all they need to know is that she helped to build that building, and that she helped to build a community not just here, but across the city, and in many people’s hearts.

    Clive Lewis MP (Norwich South)

    Richard Hawthorn’s son Marcus sent a message from Canada which was read out at the ceremony. 

    My father could not have wished for a greater accolade than to have his name associated with a cause that is supporting people, and that it should be so close to Carrow Road and his beloved Canaries.

    Marcus Hawthorn
    Read biographies of Baroness Patricia Hollis and Richard HawthornDownload

    Canary Quay has been built on land formerly owned by Norwich City Football Club.  The development is a mixture of social housing, affordable homes and open market properties.

    AGM 2021 – Broadland Housing focused on ‘enduring purpose’ of providing good quality, affordable homes

    AGM 2021 – Broadland Housing focused on ‘enduring purpose’ of providing good quality, affordable homes

    Broadland Housing held its Annual General Meeting in September. Michael Newey, Chief Executive (pictured), said that the key challenges in 2020-21 had been to keep people safe, keep homes decent and meet tenants’ expectations. He described how Broadland had ‘gone the extra mile’ to meet these challenges.

    Michael Newey, Chief Executive of Broadland Housing Association, addresses the 2021 AGM

    Providing new homes

    Despite the pandemic, during 2020-21 Broadland Housing delivered:

    • a total of 147 new homes (against a target of 72), of which
    • 92 were affordable rent
    • 33 were for shared ownership

    During the year Broadland also allocated:

    • a total of 348 homes, of which
    • 117 were to homeless households
    • 111 to older people.

    Keeping tenants safe

    The pandemic has been the most significant event of my life, and the same is true for most of us. Life has changed, and we have all faced significant challenges.  I am really proud of how we transitioned almost overnight to meet those challenges and continue to meet our objectives.

    Our ambitions remain the same, but the world has changed. We have had to adapt the way we do things.  Our number one priority has been keeping people safe, and that has sometimes meant that we haven’t been able to do everything that we wanted to do. 

    Supporting people has never been more important, whether through befriending calls with people who have been isolated in their homes, or dealing with urgent issues such as emergency repairs.”

    Michael Newey, Chief Executive

    Working towards net carbon zero

    As Broadland emerges from the pandemic, it faces the continuing challenges of responding to climate change and tackling homelessness, and a renewed focus on local delivery all priorities, along with continuing to provide more new homes.

    Climate change will in the long term be a bigger issue than Covid. The issue is how we can deliver the 2050 net carbon zero target without pushing people into fuel poverty? One piece of research has estimated that meeting that target will cost an average of nearly £21,000 per affordable home, so the financial impact is enormous.

    Tackling homelessness has been a long-term priority for us.  The pandemic inspired a renewed sense of joined-up thinking and partnership working, and we have played a role in both the Norfolk Strategic Housing Partnership and the Norfolk Homelessness Forum.  We have also worked with King’s Lynn, Norwich and Great Yarmouth to provide ‘housing first’ accommodation, move-on accommodation and homes for prison leavers.

    Michael Newey, Chief Executive

    First hybrid AGM

    Thanking tenants, staff and stakeholders for their support over the year, Michael Newey said:

    There is no doubt that the pandemic will continue to have a substantial impact on our operations during the coming year. However, our commitment to delivering our enduring purpose, namely helping people who cannot afford decent places to live in the open market access good quality affordable homes, remains as strong as ever.

    The AGM was Broadland’s first hybrid meeting. To observe Covid-19 safety guidance, a limited number of people attended in person, while the remainder joined virtually.

    Download a copy of the 2020-21 Annual Report.

    Broadland project wins national planning award

    Our affordable housing strategy in north Norfolk has won a Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) 2021 Award for Planning Excellence.

    The strategy was the winner in the Excellence in Planning to Deliver Homes – small schemes category. It is also a finalist in the 2021 Inside Housing development awards.

    • Broadland Housing scheme at Binham, Norfolk
    • Broadland Housing scheme at Binham, north Norfolk

    Broadland’s North Norfolk District-Wide Affordable Homes Strategy used changes in national planning policy to link five mixed-tenure schemes (Binham, Trunch, Erpingham, Edgefield and Great Ryburgh) in one  Section 106 Agreement.  Market homes sales subsidised the delivery of 61 affordable homes in an area with a chronic affordable housing shortage.  

    The Broadland scheme designs complement the local rural landscape and use authentic building materials.  The quality of the planning has helped to build inclusive, sustainable communities, with no visible difference between the social rent and open market homes, reducing the stigma often associated with affordable housing. 

    Andrew Savage, Executive Development Director, said: 

    We are delighted to have been part of this RTPI award.  Our development team and external partners work tirelessly to continue the supply of affordable housing in Norfolk and north Suffolk. It’s fantastic to get national recognition for delivering a very local solution.

    Benefits for rural communities

    The RTPI Awards are the most established and respected awards in the UK planning industry.  Running for over 40 years, they celebrate exceptional examples of planning and the contribution planners make to society. 

    Broadland worked closely with partners North Norfolk District Council, Bidwell’s, Ingleton Wood, Hudson’s, Rossi Long, RG Carter, Wellington Construction and H Smith Honingham to achieve the strategy.  The project is also a finalist in the 2021 Inside Housing awards.  Previously it was the RTPI Eastern region winner.  

    Iain Hill, partner at Bidwell’s, said:

    It’s a fantastic result for Broadland Housing, and we’re glad to be part of the project team.  It’s great that a scheme in north Norfolk has gained recognition nationwide – particularly one which highlights the benefits that can delivered for rural communities when all parties have a shared vision and adopt a collaborative approach. 

    Paul Pitcher, Managing Director at Wellington Construction, said: 

    We are delighted to have been part of the award-winning partnership which has provided so many high quality, much-needed affordable homes across North Norfolk.  As a locally-based firm, we take great pride in building top quality affordable homes in the region.  Not only does it provide much-needed homes for local people, but it creates local employment as well. 

    Jonathan Smith, director at H Smith Honingham, said: 

    Huge congratulations to Broadland for winning the Royal Town Planning Institute 2021 Award for Planning Excellence.  Our experience of Broadband tells us they always look at the bigger picture and work with partners to establish long term relationships and we are pleased that this approach has been recognised at the National RTPI Awards with well-deserved recognition of their can-do attitude.

    Chris Stammers, architect and director at Ingleton Wood, said: 

    We are thrilled to be part of this excellent and award-winning collaboration – nationally recognised for breaking the mould to deliver high-quality rural affordable homes across north Norfolk.  We worked together with local communities and the wider project team as part of a positive design and consultation process to maximise the provision of affordable homes in areas that desperately need them. 

    ‘Positive and impactful changes‘

    RTPI president Wei Yang FRTPI said:

    I would like to congratulate all of the winners at this year’s RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence who have demonstrated how planning is an essential public service for our community.  The winners have acted beyond boundaries to make positive and impactful changes – a perfect way of showing the world the positive role planners play in our society. 

    The fact the even during the pandemic we received so many entries is a testament to how the planning profession across the UK and around the world has stepped up to deliver innovative, place-based solutions to the challenges of health and wellbeing, climate change and the biodiversity decline, as well as housing and economic growth.

    Dyan Currie HonMRTPI, chief planner of Brisbane City Council and chair of the judging panel, said:

    With the world facing significant complex challenges, planning has become more important than ever before.  The quality of entries in this year’s awards was outstanding and the judges remain confident of the future of the profession during these challenging times. 

    About the RTPI

    The Royal Town Planning Institute champions the power of planning in creating prosperous places and vibrant communities.

    Using its expertise and research it brings evidence and thought leadership to shape planning policies and thinking, putting the profession at the heart of society’s big debates. 

    It sets the standards of planning education and professional behaviour that give planners, wherever they work in the world, a unique ability to meet complex economic, social and environmental challenges. 

    It is the only body in the UK that confers Chartered status to planners, the highest professional qualification sought after by employers in both private and public sectors.

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