Housing Matters
Broadland Housing Association
Northrepps:
Swanton Road: Gypsy &
Accommodation
Hindringham:
Great
Martham: Planning Consent
Corpusty: Septic Tanks Solution
Blakeney: Community Consultation
Welcome to Housing Matters
Reflecting on 2024, it has been another successful year for Broadland. Like all housing providers, we encountered challenges, but our board and staff team rose to meet them with resilience and determination.
In June, we published our first ever results for the Regulator of Social Housing Tenant Satisfaction Measures. Overall, the results were good, although we do have some significant areas for improvement. We have been using our Out and About programme this year to address some of these issues, as well as sending out our resident magazine, Door to Door, to all our residents. We know that effective communication is key to improving our service to residents.
Despite the ongoing financial constraints limiting our plans, we have successfully delivered 19 net zero carbon homes in Northrepps and 7 in Hindringham. Construction has also commenced in Salthouse and at two sites in West Beckham, which will collectively deliver 15 new affordable homes. These muchneeded homes will be a mix of operationally net zero carbon and high energy efficiency, providing residents with thermally efficient and sustainable living spaces.
I hope
you enjoy
reading about what else has been happening in this issue of Housing Matters.
Michael Newey, Chief Executive
HOUSING MATTERS
JANUARY 2025
Annual General Meeting 2024
At this year’s AGM, we welcomed four new board members.
Overview New Board Members
Justin Plumpton, who is a Chartered Surveyor, David Richardson, who has 40 years of senior management skills, Maria Compos-Torres, who is a student of Environmental Science, and Hein Van Den Wildenberg, Chair of the Group Audit and Risk Committee. They all bring invaluable skills to our board, and we look forward to working with them.
Whilst budgets remain tight and the cost-of-living crisis hasn’t abated, we remain committed to our mission. During the AGM, Michael Newey gave an overview of some of the challenges we have faced over the last year, and the new legislation that has come into effect in the sector.
Broadland remains committed to providing affordable homes. Housing need still exceeds supply, and our region are not exempt from this reality. We remain focussed on providing solutions for the reduction of homelessness, whether this is by providing homes or in partnership with others.
The new Consumer Standards that came into effect this year by the Regulator for Social Housing has provided a much needed focus to hearing the residents voice. Following the results from our first Tenant Perception Survey, we have increased the number of Out and About visits to further understand the issues our residents are facing. The results of our satisfaction measures and survey results can be found at www.broadlandgroup.org/manage-your-home/tenant-perceptionsurvey/
Maria CamposTorres
Dave Richardson
Justin Plumpton
Hein Van Den Wildenberg
Tenant Satisfaction Measures
*The data here reflects our performance as of March 31st 2024.
Tenant Perception Survey
Following the tragedy of Grenfell, the Regulator of Social Housing has set out new standards that all social housing providers must follow, which came into effect on 1st April 2023.
Part of the new standards are the Tenant Satisfaction Measures. The Regulator requires us to survey all our tenants asking a standard set of questions.
We conducted our Tenant Perception Survey in October 2023. We received 1187 resident responses.
Responding to Residents
In response to resident feedback we have:
Reviewed our repairs policy and procedure. Introduced a dedicated Scheduling Team.
Strengthened communication by sending 2 editions of Door to Door magazine to all residents each year.
Introduced spot checks to complaint response letters to ensure tenants are not being treated differently.
Contacting residents when they tell us they are dissatisfied to ensure they know how to make a complaint.
To find out more visit www.broadlandgroup.org/manageyour-home/tenant-perception-survey/
New Developments: Completed Schemes
Swanton Road, Norwich
Broadgate Close, Northrepps Wells Road, Hindringham
Wells Road, Hindringham
Broadgate Close, Northrepps
Northrepps
In Northrepps, 19 net zero carbon homes have been completed after an 18-month project. At a ceremony on Broadgate Close, Chief Executive Michael Newey and Cllr Wendy Fredericks, Deputy Leader of North Norfolk District Council, handed keys to the first tenants.
These homes feature insulated timber frames, triple-glazed windows, air source heat pumps, and solar panels capable of generating enough electricity to cover average annual usage. Eight homes are for affordable rent, two for shared ownership, and nine for open-market sale through Broadland St Benedicts, funding the affordable homes.
Cllr Fredericks highlighted the importance of Exception Housing Sites, which address local housing needs. New tenants, Claire and Robert, who previously lived in cramped conditions with their two children, now have an energy-efficient home. Claire shared, “We now have a lovely family home where we can bring up our family in security.”
Designed by Ingleton Wood and built by Smith of Honingham, this development meets rural housing needs and underscores Broadland’s commitment to sustainable living.
Hindringham
In Hindringham, 7 net zero carbon homes have been built, including 5 bungalows and 2 houses for affordable rent. Designed to complement the village, they feature air source heat pumps and solar panels for energy efficiency. Local applicants are prioritised, ensuring community benefit. Cllr Wendy Fredericks, North Norfolk Council, called the design a valuable community asset, reflecting Broadland’s commitment to sustainable rural housing.
Swanton Road
A £3.5 million project in Norwich has delivered 16 new pitches and refurbished 21 for the gypsy and traveller community. The partnership between Broadland Housing and Norwich City Council improved insulation, heating systems, and community facilities. Resident Emily said, “I feel like I have got a proper home now.” The project highlights our commitment to inclusive and sustainable housing.
New Developments: Currently in Construction
Salthouse
Work has begun on the construction of 5 new affordable homes for rent in Salthouse, prioritised for locals from the village and nearby areas. The homes will be in a sympathetic design in the style of a converted farmyard, using extensive use of flint to blend into Salthouse's Conservation area and timber framing. The new homes are due to be completed for June 2025.
Construction has begun on 10 new affordable homes in West Beckham, designed to blend with the rural surroundings. This project will offer homes for local residents, featuring eco-friendly technologies like air source heat pumps and electric charging points. The initiative reflects the strong need for affordable housing across North Norfolk.
West Beckham
New Developments: Community Consultation & Planning
Great Yarmouth
Over the next 5 years, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, along with Broadland Housing Association and Orwell Housing Association, will be coming together to help fulfil the council’s vision of continued regeneration in the borough. The first project the organisations will work on is a plan for 82 new homes at The Conge in Great Yarmouth.
Martham
We have achieved planning consent in September for a 176 homes, at the entrance to Martham. Designed by Ingleton Wood, this hybrid development of allocated land and exception site will accommodate a range of tenures alongside the local housing needs of the village. The development includes extensive Bio Diverse open space, a new roundabout and will follow the principles of our mixed tenure developments in North Norfolk and Breckland.
Corpusty
We are proposing 38 new homes in Corpusty. We are currently engaging with the surrounding communities to identify suitable septic tank replacements.
Blakeney
We are working in partnership with Blakeney Neighbourhood Housing Society to develop a local needs affordable housing scheme in Langham Road, Blakeney. The proposals include 3 family houses and 5 bungalows. These affordable rent homes will be prioritised to households with a local connection.
Resident Involvement
Christmas Get Together
Involved Residents
Our involved residents from our TAP, HOP and Digital panels joined us for a Christmas get together event. This was to say thank you for their hard work and contributions during the year to improve our services and engage as a resident.
We had a thank you speech from Jenny Watson, Chair of the Board, to say thanks to everyone for their dedication and support, which was shortly followed by lunch and a choir performance from Invidia Voices. Residents and members sang classic Christmas carols and enjoyed each other’s company. It was a great occasion to have some festive fun and reflect on the year.
We look forward to the next year with our regular panel members and those joining us in 2025!
Broadland’s Annual Gardening Competition
We held our annual Gardening Competition in June. The competition is open to all Broadland residents and is always a great success. Categories this year included ‘Best Small Garden’ and ‘Judges Choice Overall’, plus many more! We had lots of garden enthusiast entrants that all receive a certificate, and the winners and runners-up win a prize voucher.
Our judging panel included our Environmental Champions and Jane. It was a busy couple of days visiting the resident’s gardens across the county, showing creative use of space and wildlife conservation. A lot of our residents take great pride in their garden spaces and this was fantastic to see.
We thank all our residents who entered, and we look forward to more entries next year!
Easter
In April, we held an Easter themed community event at our scheme in Lowestoft. There was a special visit from Unicorn Alpacas, with lots of friendly animals, an Easter egg hunt and delicious crepes provided by The Food Dude.
Scheme Event
Canary Quay
We had a fantastic scheme event at Canary Quay. There was face painting, arts and crafts, outdoor games, and food from The Bucket List. It was great to come together and connect with our residents.
Halloween
Long Stratton
In October, we had a Halloween themed community event for our residents. Broadland staff spoke with residents about their scheme, and there was lots of craft activities for residents to do.
Anniversary Celebration
Housing with Care
We marked the 20th Anniversary of one of our Housing with Care schemes in Norwich. The honour of cutting the cake fell to one of the newest residents at the scheme, who laid the first brick when it was being built.
Tenant Assurance Panel (TAP)
Recently, the TAP has been actively involved in reviewing various aspects of Broadland’s operations, ensuring compliance with the Regulator of Social Housing Consumer Standards. They have been reviewing Broadland’s Performance Report and have agreed the first resident workshops for a deeper review of our customer enquiries performance.
Out and About Programme
Our Out & About programme will be running over the next year. The aim of the programme is to engage with residents, walk around their scheme and talk to them in person. Broadland staff want to hear from residents first-hand what they think about where they live, answer questions and hear suggested improvements.
TPAS National Tenants Conference 2024
The two-day conference in Coventry brought together staff and residents to discuss all things engagement with a particular focus on Consumer Regulation. We were joined by speakers from TPAS, the Regulator of Social Housing, Local Council’s and Housing Associations to hear about the impact of the new regulations.
A member of Broadland’s Tenant Assurance Panel (TAP) attended the conference, with staff, and a full programme of workshop sessions were on offer. We discussed the role of scrutiny in the new regulatory world, Resident Influence in Building Safety, Skills for residents involved in Governance and Boards, and Making engagement work locally.
In the Q&A with Richard Blakeway, he gave an update on the work being done at the Housing Ombudsman and what residents can expect going forward.
We left the conference with the latest information, ideas and practical skills to share with colleagues and the TAP, continuing to improve our services for all residents.
SRS Adoption
Earlier in the year, we made the decision to adopt the Sustainable Reporting Standard (SRS) for Social Housing, which is a framework we will use to demonstrate our sustainability credentials. The framework consists of 12 themes and 46 criterion covering a range of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) matters.
We decided to adopt the SRS because:
Demonstrates the positive impact our sustainability activities have.
We join over 100 other housing providers adopting the framework, which provides us with an opportunity to engage with other likeminded organisations about good practices.
We want to demonstrate our sustainability credentials to both existing and new funders because of the enhanced focus on ethical investment these days, obtaining cheaper funding.
Our adoption of the SRS culminated in us issuing our first ESG report in November 2024, which can be viewed at: www.broadlandgroup.org/environmental-socialgovernance-report/
In January 2025, we also agreed some ESG KPIs/targets with Lloyds, one of our existing funders. If we meet these targets we will receive a reduction in our interest costs. This is the first time we have created a link between our sustainable activities and cheaper funding and, we hope, will open the door to other similar opportunities.
Ritterwald and SHIFT
Sustainability forms one of our key commitments under our Corporate Strategy. We are delighted to have been awarded two accreditations recognising our efforts in this area. The first being a Sustainable Housing Label from Ritterwald and the second is a Gold SHIFT Accreditation (Sustainable Housing Index For Tomorrow). Both accreditations scrutinise Broadland’s environmental impact and help us make positive steps towards encouraging our staff and residents to live in a more sustainable way.
Broadland Apprentices
Two of our apprentices have achieved great success this year!
Congratulations to Paul Kimber, who was named Apprentice of the Year for Technical Construction by City College, Norwich. This is the second year one of our apprentices won this top achievement. And many congratulations to Robbie Lindsay, who has completed his 6-year apprenticeship. He is now a fully qualified Heating Engineer.
Best Companies
Broadland staff took part in the annual Best Company Engagement Survey. We are proud to be recognised and retain our rating as one of the Top 25 Best Housing Associations in the UK to work for, as well as one of the Top 75 Companies to work for.
Corporate Events
Independent East Conference 2024
The Annual Independent East Conference was held at Trinity Park in Ipswich this year, bringing together the collaborative alliance.
The event welcomed board members, residents, and local authority stakeholders, aiming to foster collaboration and innovation within the housing sector. It also provided a platform for open dialogue, idea-sharing and problem-solving.
The conference featured renowned speakers, including Jonathon Walters, Deputy Chief Executive of the Regulator of Social Housing, and Kate Henderson, CEO of the National Housing Federation. Attendees also heard from Michael Appleby, Managing Director of Altair Consulting, on the potential of Artificial Intelligence in housing. Additionally, representatives from Havebury Housing Partnership and Saffron Housing Trust presented their experiences under the new regulatory regime, both achieving the highest compliance rating, C1.
“We are thrilled with the success of this conference. The exchange of ideas and collective drive to solution was truly inspiring. We thank all our speakers who generously shared their expertise with us.”
Independent East consists of Broadland Housing, Freebridge Community Housing, Havebury Housing Partnership, Saffron Housing Trust and Orwell Housing Association.
Homes for Cathy & NSHP Alliance Seminar 2024
Last April, the Homes for Cathy and Norfolk Strategic Housing Alliance seminar was Chaired by the Bishop of Norwich. The focus of the seminar was to focus on how we can work strategically together as a community, bringing together housing, church, police, local authorities and the charity sector.
Chris Hancock from Norwich City Council kicked off the day, followed by John Lee of YMCA, Will Fremont-Brown from Lambeth Palace, Wes Hornigold, Superintendent and Ed Brown, Chief Inspector, both from Norfolk Constabulary, and Lisa Naylor from Crisis. The day concluded with a panel discussion with members of the Broadland team.
“Ending homelessness is not an issue that can be solved by housing or homelessness team alone”
Chris Hancock - Norwich City Council
This summarised the day of bringing together a diverse range of expertise. The seminar highlights how everyone needs to come to the table to bring their expertise and passion to the ongoing and widespread issue of solving homelessness for good.
As always, there was a great deal of passion and inspiration in the room. The drive to end homelessness continues across our county.
At Broadland
Christmas Charity Raffle
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, we held fundraising events for our charity, the East Anglian Air Ambulance. We had lots planned, including wearing Christmas jumpers and festive bake sales. We also had The Great Christmas Raffle, supplied by our fantastic suppliers and contractors. We managed to raise altogether a fantastic £911! Thank you to all our contractors and suppliers for their wonderful contributions!
Howes Percival, Green Home Energy Solutions, Eastern Procurement, TM Browne Ltd, Resource, Gibbs Laidler, Rexel UK, Alan Boswell Group, Daniel Connal Partnership, A&B Glass Group, Lyreco UK & Ireland, Blackwell Print, ALD Automotive UK, Edmundson Electrical, Metrorod Norwich, T C Garrett Roofing, Eyre Group, Prospect Handling, Yellow Brick Mortgages Ltd, Renault UK, DD Health & Safety, Newline Cleaning & Hygiene, ARC Group, Energy Assessor Solutions, Britannia Safety & Training.
Member Events
Our members remain an integral part of Broadland. We encourage everyone to join, hearing as many diverse voices as possible to help make a real difference.
We ran three exclusive events for our members in 2024. The first seminar was led by Claire Walker, our Tenancy Support & Safeguarding Manager. Claire discussed the important work the team do to support our most vulnerable residents.
In September, we held our first ever walking tour. We started off from our Head Office at Carrow Road and saw 14 schemes along the way. The scheme walk showed our diverse range of homes that we look after, from brand new apartments on Geoffrey Watling Way, to homes nearly 100 years old!
Our last seminar of the year was from Louise Archer, Executive Operations Director. This was on the new Consumer Standards from the Regulator of Social Housing. This high level strategic overview outlined how Broadland are embedding the new standards.