Broadland Housing Group

Homes, community & support since 1963

planning

World-leading construction industry body visits Canary Quay, Norwich

CIOB visit to Canary Quay, Norwich, 17 March 2022

World-leading construction industry body visits Canary Quay

Caroline Gumble with Andrew Savage, Executive Development Director, and James Carter of RG Carter

We recently welcomed Caroline Gumble, Chief Executive Officer at the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), to Canary Quay. The CIOB is the world’s largest and most influential professional body for construction management and leadership.

Now in its final phase, Canary Quay will provide 323 mixed tenure apartments when complete.

Caroline noted the close working and collaborative approach between Broadland Housing Association, Broadland St Benedicts and our construction partners RG Carter. The Canary Quay project has turned an industrial warehouse and car park into a new residential area in the heart of the city.

Caroline was in Norwich promoting the launch of the new CIOB equality, diversity and inclusion charter for the construction industry.

Lakenfields, Webster Court, Norwich

kitchen at Webster Court, Norwich
Kitchen of Lakenfields apartment
Living room, Webster Court, Norwich
Living area of Lakenfields apartment

We worked in partnership with Norwich City Council to provide 6 new affordable homes at Lakenfields, Webster Court for people experiencing homelessness. A modular system was used to deliver high-quality homes, with minimal impact and disruption to the local community.

A former car parking area north of Webster Court now accommodates 6 x 1-bedroom, 2-person flats. The single block of 6 flats over 3 storeys has a communal garden area and vehicle parking accessed off the existing access. The first tenants moved in during December 2021.

Lakenfields was shortlisted for the national RTPI planning excellence awards in 2022.

Lakenfields (Webster Court), Norwich, on Day 3 of construction
Modular construction of Lakenfields apartments was completed in 3 days in December 2021
Manufacturer Mod Pod International’s video, including pod interiors (1.30)

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.

Broadland is finalist in Inside Housing Development Awards 2021

  • Edgefield, Broadland Housing scheme in north Norfolk
  • Trunch, Broadland Housing scheme in north Norfolk
  • Broadland Housing scheme at Binham, Norfolk
  • Edgefield, Broadland Housing scheme in north Norfolk
  • Great Ryburgh, Broadland Housing scheme in north Norfolk

Our North Norfolk affordable homes plan has been shortlisted in the ‘Best development (suburban and rural)’ category in the Inside Housing Development Awards 2021.

Broadland’s strategy for affordable homes in rural north Norfolk has already won has won a Planning Excellence Award from the RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute).

Our plan identified a development opportunity from changes to national policy. It links 5 mixed tenure schemes – in Binham, Trunch, Erpingham, Edgefield and Great Ryburgh – in one Section 106 Agreement. The sale of market homes has subsidised the delivery of 61 affordable homes.

More than 300 entries were submitted to the Inside Housing Development Awards in 2021. Director of Development Andrew Savage said:

We’re absolutely delighted to reach the finals of such an important national award. These stunning mixed-tenure rural schemes would not have been possible without our strong partnership with North Norfolk District Council, and the invaluable support of our partners Bidwell’s, Ingleton Wood, Hudson’s, Rossi Long, RG Carter, Wellington Construction and H Smith Honingham.

You can view the full shortlist of finalists here.

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