Strength in numbers

For m lasting par tnerships to build more, tr uly affordable homes, recommends Nigel Sedman, Executive Director of Homes at ForHousing

With housing waiting lists groaning, building new homes is essential In fact, research from housing charity Shelter earlier this year reveals 1 2 million households are stuck on social housing waiting lists That’s up by 5% in the last two years

The social housing sector’s role in tackling the housing crisis is crucial

Throughout my career at ForHousing, I have overseen the development of thousands of high-quality homes This year marks a decade of developing homes in Salford and across the North West Since 2013, we have either built or have on-site 1,900 new homes 70% of which are offered at a social or affordable rent We understand that having a safe place to call home increases people’s life chances That’s why we have 1,330 more homes in the pipeline

Leading role

None of this would be possible without partnering with like-minded organisations, charities, and national, regional and local government The Chancellor’s recent announcement that the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) will have greater control over funding and building affordable housing, is good news It provides an opportunity for us to step up our partnership working across the region to build much-needed homes, and we look forward to playing our part

In Salford, ForHousing’s role leading the new development element of the Salford Strategic Housing Partnership means I see first-hand how working in partnership makes more things possible Collaborating closely with Salford City Council means we can regenerate disused council land We have done this many times over the years, for example Amblecote Gardens, an extra-care scheme in Salford launched in 2014

As with every extra-care scheme we develop, we worked closely with the council to align the project with their older person ’ s strategy The transformation of the wider Amblecote neighbourhood had already been underway with 100 new family homes, but the completion of Amblecote Gardens was the icing on the cake By working together we provided new amenities including shops, a library, GP services, a pharmacy, and hairdressers benefitting not just new tenants but local residents too, helping create a vibrant community

Working together

The Willows in Weaste, completed in 2017, is another flagship development from the past decade It provided more than 100 new affordable homes on the former Salford Red Devils rugby ground

We are now doing something similar with the former Salford City Roosters grounds By working together with the club and the council, we are ensuring that the Roosters retain a smaller site and will benefit from better facilities, while providing almost 50 eco-friendly social rent homes

Partnerships also mean strength in numbers when it comes to funding bids Thanks to working closely with Salford City Council, we have successfully secured funding for specialist housing schemes, for

example, to tackle homelessness

Sometimes partnerships are a requirement For Homes England grant bids, we frequently work with local authorities to make sure our proposals include the necessary variety of homes It strengthens our application and means we can deliver homes the local area really needs For instance, we secured over £1m in Homes England funding with Cheshire West and Chester Council to build almost 140 mixedtenure homes in Wharton Green, Winsford

And when it comes to planning permission, we all know linking with partners is crucial Getting pre-planning advice and feedback from the council is invaluable, while continuing to meet with local residents and tenants to hear what they want means we create sustainable communities that stand the test of time

Looking ahead, we know partnership working can be the catalyst to drive forward opportunities for new housing schemes that meet a range of needs It’s tougher than ever for people to afford quality housing that gives them the best possible chance in life But everyone deserves that chance That’s why our focus for the next 10 years is on developing homes for social rent and making more things possible for more people n For more information on ForHousing visit www.forhousing.co.uk

View From The Supply Chain

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With the Building Safety Act and Future Homes Standard on the horizon, along with the golden thread of infor mation, manufacturers have a critical role to play in ensuring a safe and sustainable specification process, and data transparency is a way to provide added reassurance to clients As John Mellor from Glidevale Protect suggests, this is a responsibility that must be shared by each member of the supply chain.

Successful construction projects are built on data With hundreds of different manufacturers both in the UK and overseas, potentially involved in any given construction project, understanding the provenance of each material specified is complex and challenging.

Clarity: Honesty is the best policy

A lack of data transparency during construction can effectively widen the ‘performance gap’ of a building, so it follows that by sharing accurate information at every stage we can ensure that buildings are as energy-efficient in operation as they were designed to be

With specifiers relying on the information manufacturers like ourselves release to them, it’s crucial to be upfront and honest about test results and the specific testing conditions employed to enable specifiers to make an informed decision Transparent technical claims can have an impact on whether a product will pass or fail in situ which could affect everything from the energy efficiency to the safety of a building.

Compliance is not just about individual products in isolation but needs to factor in the entire system, including any related products or product variations

For example, reflective wall membranes should be tested to the required thermal and emissivity performance standards, claiming both aged and unaged thermal resistance ‘R’ value figures in order to help a specifier make an informed decision about performance in a worstcase scenario

Glidevale Protect provides both aged and unaged thermal resistance values on our external and internal reflective membranes to demonstrate transparency and highlight any difference in performance levels Aged thermal resistance values accurately reflect real life performance figures, take into account any logo that is printed on the low-emissivity surface and are based on the recommended fixing centres as detailed in the Structural Timber Association’s (STA) Advice Note 18 for external wall breather membranes

Reliability: Get a second opinion from a third party

Providing reliable and substantiated technical information that is fully supported by trusted third-party accreditations gives added creditability to any claims being made as all performance results are independently checked and verified This process offers specifiers a clearer view of how the products can help achieve compliance as part of the building as a whole

It is also good practice for all manufacturers to clarify and verify technical data Relying on UKAS accredited certification bodies such as BM TRADA is one of the best ways to guarantee compliance Specifiers can also look out for manufacturers like Glidevale Protect who are working to recognised standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, which are international standards that demonstrate a company’s ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer, regulatory and environmental requirements.

Accessibility: Make sure data is readily available

It goes without saying that any product data should be made readily available and in an accessible format for all key stakeholders from architects to installers and end clients We’re all working towards the same goal to create healthy, sustainable buildings and this relies on being open, collaborative and sharing data

We’re continually reviewing our product information and installation guides, which are all freely available to download from our website along with digital BIM objects for many of our products, and all our specifications are written to be comprehensive and clear so that nothing gets lost in translation n To access Glidevale Protect’s product information or to discuss how the technical team can assist you with your next project, please visit https://glidevaleprotect com/technicalresources/

When it comes to data transparency, the supply chain is only as strong as the weakest link so it’s up to manufacturers to make sure they’re playing their part.