Vistry, Britain’s biggest housebuilder, has joined forces with Bromford to build up to 695 sustainable homes in Longbridge, south-west Birmingham, formerly home to the MG works. Vistry has joined forces with Bromford, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, which will own and manage the affordable homes. Bromford is acquiring
Housbuilder Vistry has teamed up with Bromford to build up to 695 sustainable homes in Longbridge, south-west Birmingham, formerly home to the MG works. Vistry has joined forces with Bromford, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, which will own and manage the affordable homes. Bromford is acquiring 250 of
Forty-four families are settling into their new homes following the completion of a new housing development in greater Bristol Housing association Bromford has completed its project to regenerate Hampton Close in Cadbury Heath, by building 44 modern, energy efficient homes. The affordable homes, built by Bromford’s development partners EG Carter,
Henry Boot Construction and Latimer buried a time capsule at The Cocoa Works site in York on Friday, honouring the iconic former Rowntree Factory ahead of the new residential scheme’s completion in winter 2024. Representatives from contractor Henry Boot Construction, developer Latimer by Clarion Housing Group, Haxby Primary Academy, St
A2Dominion has published its Annual Report & Accounts for 2023/24, recording a turnover of £399.6 million (up by 2.7%) and an operating surplus of £48.7 million (up by 12.2%). The housing association recorded an overall deficit of £21.0 million (2023: £12.8 million deficit) for 2023/24, which includes net interest charges
A housing association-led partnership has transformed two college classrooms into cutting-edge workshops, designed to inspire students to join the construction sector. Hartlepool College of Further Education unveiled its new construction workshops to students on Tuesday, following its transformation by be:ONE partners. The be:ONE partnership was launched in April by believe
A brand-new estate of homes for affordable rent and shared ownership in Preston has been completed by Community Gateway Association (CGA), the city’s largest not-for-profit housing association. The 78 homes, comprising 75 houses, three bungalows, a playground and ample green space, have been built by Seddon Housing Partnerships on behalf
One of the Midlands largest housing associations in partnership with one of the UK’s top house builders have been crowned winners in a leading awards scheme. Platform Housing Group and Keepmoat have been awarded the Property Deal of the Year category in this year’s East Midlands Property Dinner organised by
The final phase of the £42.8m award-winning Welsh Streets neighbourhood regeneration in Liverpool has been completed, bringing the total number of Placefirst homes delivered across the area to 296. The now complete scheme delivers professionally managed, newly built and refurbished rental homes. In close partnership with Liverpool City Council, Placefirst
Cost comparisons by Habinteg Housing Association of grab rail, stairlift and wet room home adaptations show that people living in an M4(1) visitable dwelling who need to carry out such adaptations could be almost £27,000 worse off compared to those living in an accessible and adaptable M4(2) home. Families and
Vistry, Britain’s biggest housebuilder, has joined forces with Bromford to build up to 695 sustainable homes in Longbridge, south-west Birmingham, formerly home to the MG works. Vistry has joined forces with Bromford, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, which will own and manage the affordable homes. Bromford is acquiring 250 of the proposed homes, ensuring that more than 35% of the homes on this development will be affordable, against a 20% requirement. The housing association will make 132 homes, 19% of the total number being proposed, available for social rent, against a 4% requirement as part of the planning consent. An additional 118 homes will be available to part-buy, part-rent through Bromford’s shared ownership scheme. A further 209 units will be destined for the private rental sector and the remaining 236 properties will be available on the open market for private ownership, ensuring the development will offer something for everyone. The scheme will also stimulate economic growth through on-site employment, as well as providing further benefits for the local community with designated spaces for community uses and public open space. The new homes will be a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, and larger two-, three- and four-bedroom family houses. With a focus on sustainability, they will include air source heat pumps rather than gas boilers; PV panels will provide renewable electricity; and wastewater recovery will minimise water usage. The houses will be built using modern methods of construction (MMC), reducing the carbon footprint of every property. The homes will be manufactured off site using open panel timber frames from the Vistry Works East Midlands factory in Leicestershire. Each home built using these panels emits 14,460kg CO2e less than a traditional brick-and-block house. Phil McHugh, Managing Director of Vistry North West Midlands, said: “We are thrilled to have acquired this site and to be working with Bromford on this exciting project that will contribute to Birmingham’s economic growth by providing new jobs and high-quality places to live. “Like many major cities, Birmingham has a severe shortage of affordable homes; that’s something we’re aiming to address by going the extra mile to deliver affordable and social rent homes over and above what is required of us, and delivering them at pace. We’re also hugely proud of the sustainability of the homes we’ll be providing, with features and construction methods that reduce their impact on the environment and will lower energy bills for future residents. “We’re excited to be a part of Birmingham’s growth and to be entrusted with the build of these much-needed new homes which will contribute to the character of the area and create a thriving and sustainable community.” Alice Phillips, Regional Development Manager at Bromford, said: “Working with Vistry to bring new affordable homes to Birmingham as part of the Longbridge redevelopment is a perfect opportunity for us. With the work that’s already taken place at Longbridge and everything that’s planned over the years ahead, our future customers will have great prospects to live, work and thrive in these new homes and community. “Providing 132 homes for social rent as part of this partnership will make a real difference to the lives of families who are currently waiting for affordable housing in Birmingham. And they’ll be living in some of the most energy efficient homes we’ve ever built in the West Midlands thanks to all of the sustainability measures that will be installed.” Simon Vick, Head of Development at Bromford, added: “We are absolutely delighted to be working in partnership again with Vistry to deliver this project. It’s one of our largest ever partnerships in the West Midlands and will help meet the acute shortage of high quality, affordable homes in Birmingham.” Professional services group Gateley supported on the purchase from St. Modwen, as well as the development agreement and sale to Bromford. Lauren Jeffrey, Residential Development Senior Associate at Gateley Legal, added: “The Longbridge site was previously brownfield land and holds significant historical importance as the former home to the MG Rover factory, as well as links to war activity. So, it’s brilliant to see the iconic location being given a new lease of life and developed into a community with much-needed housing, shops and offices. “The success of this scheme is the result of the great working partnership between all parties, as well as the collaborative effort from Gateley’s residential development, planning, tax, litigation and built environment consultancy teams, and I look forward to seeing the development continue to take shape.” A reserved matters planning application has been submitted with a decision notice due shortly. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Housbuilder Vistry has teamed up with Bromford to build up to 695 sustainable homes in Longbridge, south-west Birmingham, formerly home to the MG works. Vistry has joined forces with Bromford, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, which will own and manage the affordable homes. Bromford is acquiring 250 of the proposed homes, ensuring that more than 35% of the homes on this development will be affordable, against a 20% requirement. The housing association will make 132 homes, 19% of the total number being proposed, available for social rent, against a 4% requirement as part of the planning consent. An additional 118 homes will be available to part-buy, part-rent through Bromford’s shared ownership scheme. A further 209 units will be destined for the private rental sector and the remaining 236 properties will be available on the open market for private ownership, ensuring the development will offer something for everyone. The scheme will also stimulate economic growth through on-site employment, as well as providing further benefits for the local community with designated spaces for community uses and public open space. The new homes will be a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, and larger two-, three- and four-bedroom family houses. With a focus on sustainability, they will include air source heat pumps rather than gas boilers; PV panels will provide renewable electricity; and wastewater recovery will minimise water usage. The houses will be built using modern methods of construction (MMC), reducing the carbon footprint of every property. The homes will be manufactured off site using open panel timber frames from the Vistry Works East Midlands factory in Leicestershire. Each home built using these panels emits 14,460kg CO2e less than a traditional brick-and-block house. Phil McHugh, Managing Director of Vistry North West Midlands, said: “We are thrilled to have acquired this site and to be working with Bromford on this exciting project that will contribute to Birmingham’s economic growth by providing new jobs and high-quality places to live. “Like many major cities, Birmingham has a severe shortage of affordable homes; that’s something we’re aiming to address by going the extra mile to deliver affordable and social rent homes over and above what is required of us, and delivering them at pace. We’re also hugely proud of the sustainability of the homes we’ll be providing, with features and construction methods that reduce their impact on the environment and will lower energy bills for future residents. “We’re excited to be a part of Birmingham’s growth and to be entrusted with the build of these much-needed new homes which will contribute to the character of the area and create a thriving and sustainable community.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Forty-four families are settling into their new homes following the completion of a new housing development in greater Bristol Housing association Bromford has completed its project to regenerate Hampton Close in Cadbury Heath, by building 44 modern, energy efficient homes. The affordable homes, built by Bromford’s development partners EG Carter, have replaced 10 garages and 24 1950’s properties that were demolished at the end of 2022. The new homes are a mix of one-bedroom flats and two-, three- and four-bedroom homes, all of which have been made available for social rent. The first customers received the keys to their new homes in December 2023 while the final customers moved in last week. Before the final customers moved in, Bromford invited customers, local stakeholders and project partners to have a look around the finished homes. Among them was Bromford customer Gerald Woodman, who lived in the street for more than 45 years. “I am so impressed with these homes,” he said. “They are very smart and well-designed. The gardens are spacious with lots of room, and the addition of off-road parking adds convenience. The solar panels are fantastic; they don’t just benefit the environment but also help residents cut down on energy bills.” Bromford has fitted energy efficient gas boilers, solar panels, waste water heat recovery systems in all 44 homes. As a result 70% of the new homes have energy efficiency ratings of A, with the rest achieving B ratings. All the homes have also had electric vehicle charging ports installed. Project manager Noreen Twomey said: “It’s wonderful to see these homes completed and families living happily here. These are some of the most energy efficient homes we’ve built in South Gloucestershire and it should mean that customers are not paying as much to keep their homes warm “We’ve received huge demand for these homes, with some properties attracting more than 280 enquiries from prospective customers. It shows the very real need for more affordable housing in South Gloucestershire and we look forward to working with the council and other stakeholders to build more homes over the months and years ahead.” Councillor John O’Neill, cabinet member responsible for housing at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “I’m delighted to see this regeneration project which has delivered high quality and accessible homes completed and the first families moving in. “This scheme offers a range of housetypes that will meet the needs of families, single people, and couples, and supports the objectives of the council’s HomesWest Partnership and the council’s Housing Strategy and commitment to delivering new affordable homes. “Importantly, these homes will meet the needs of those on the council’s Housing register and in need of rented affordable housing in South Gloucestershire.” Bromford is the largest housing association in South Gloucestershire, providing homes to more than 20,000 people. It is one of the country’s largest developers of affordable housing and is currently working with partners to build new homes in the greater Bristol area in Whitchurch, Bedminster and Cribbs Causeway. Earlier in the year Bromford completed a deal to acquire land in Yate for more than 100 homes and is aiming to start work on site before the end of the year. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Henry Boot Construction and Latimer buried a time capsule at The Cocoa Works site in York on Friday, honouring the iconic former Rowntree Factory ahead of the new residential scheme’s completion in winter 2024. Representatives from contractor Henry Boot Construction, developer Latimer by Clarion Housing Group, Haxby Primary Academy, St George’s Primary, and York College gathered at the celebratory event on Friday 4 October, to bury the time capsule. The time capsule has been buried with a book depicting the entire history of The Cocoa Works, alongside heritage items found by the site team during the redevelopment process at the former chocolate factory. This includes a newspaper dating back to 1980, an original Aero chocolate bar, confectionary packaging (After Eight and Black Magic from 1933), book records from the on-site Library (1973), scratch cards from 1970, and payslips from previous workers dating back to 1980. Sam Thompson, whose mother worked at the factory for 32 years and her grandfather for 48 years, also donated a photo from her mother’s induction day back in 1973. Objects from local schools and colleges also featured in the capsule. Haxby Primary Academy added a school jumper and all classes wrote a letter explaining what life is like at the academy in 2024, St George’s Primary included a school jumper and information about the history of the school and chocolate in York, and York College contributed a memory stick with photos and information about the college. York’s community-run riverside walk, The Foss Fairy Trail, provided a fairy keyring, and letters from Latimer’s 2020 ‘Sweet Memories’ campaign were added, too. This memories campaign saw former Rowntree Factory workers, along with their families and friends, share their accounts of what life was like during that time, and how the Rowntree family is remembered. Community engagement has been key throughout the project. Jack Kidder, Responsible Business Manager at Henry Boot, said: “It’s a real privilege to be part of this project, sensitively reforming this iconic York landmark in a way that will help to recapture the pride, character, and social aspect that once thrived in the days when it was an operational chocolate factory. “And this time capsule burial is a crucial milestone in the project. It marks our collaboration with Latimer and local schools to leave a lasting, positive legacy on this historical site. “It forms a vital part of our social value plan for The Cocoa Works, demonstrating both our collaboration with the local community and our commitment to maximising the social benefits for people who live in the area.” The time capsule is the final component of Henry Boot Construction’s social value delivery on the scheme. Other social value outputs on the project have included: hosting site visits for schools, providing work experience placements for York College students, and raising over £10,000 for Place2Be and Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, to name a few. Volunteers from Henry Boot Construction, together with key partners, also helped significantly smarten up the much-loved Foss Fairy Trail on the banks of York’s River Foss last year. Richard Cook, Chief Development Officer at Clarion Housing Group, said: “We are delighted to be part of this moment in York’s history. The burial of the time capsule reflects our continued commitment to preserving the rich heritage of The Cocoa Works, while creating homes that will shape the future of this vibrant community. It’s a privilege to join Henry Boot Construction, local schools, and the community in ensuring that this project leaves a lasting legacy for generations to come.” The Cocoa Works is a major £52m residential development in York – once known as ‘The Chocolate City’ – seeing the iconic Rowntree Factory transformed into 279 high-quality apartments. The project includes a sensitive restoration of the iconic Rowntree Factory, alongside the construction of a new Pavilion and refurbishment of Joseph Rowntree Memorial Library to the front of the development. The Rowntree Factory was originally built by Joseph Rowntree in the 1890s, and prior to redevelopment, the eight-hectare site of historical significance was derelict for over a decade. The new design ensures the original features of the building are celebrated and incorporated. The project team includes the developer Latimer by Clarion Housing Group, the lead contractor, Henry Boot Construction, and Weedon Architects. Construction began at The Cocoa Works in October 2021 and is scheduled for completion in winter 2024. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A2Dominion has published its Annual Report & Accounts for 2023/24, recording a turnover of £399.6 million (up by 2.7%) and an operating surplus of £48.7 million (up by 12.2%). The housing association recorded an overall deficit of £21.0 million (2023: £12.8 million deficit) for 2023/24, which includes net interest charges and a reported downward movement in the valuation of investment property totaling £14.5 million. The result reflects the Group’s decision, outlined in its new Corporate Strategy, to refocus finances on improvements to services and customers’ homes, as well as investing in building safety work. The last year saw a continued increase in investment in maintaining and improving properties to ensure customers’ homes are safe and comply with new regulations (£96.8m – 2023: £86.1m). The Group will also be investing approximately £612 million in customers’ homes over the next five years, in line with its 2030 vision to provide homes people love to live in. The Group’s end-of-year performance has also been impacted by impairments on schemes in development and the costs of aborting potential developments as the Group continues to assess schemes’ feasibility. This reflects the Group’s new approach to property development, which focuses on regeneration and redevelopment of existing homes and neighbourhoods, and moves away from its previous emphasis on private sale homes via its FABRICA by A2Dominion brand. In addition, the 38,000-home housing association decided to write-off the costs of a legacy IT programme and introduce a new approach to improving systems for customers and colleagues to drive service improvements and efficiencies that will be more cost effective in the medium term. The change in direction for the London and South-East association is one of several initiatives that is helping to underpin work to improve its services and outcomes for customers, as well as return to a compliant regulatory grading after its regulatory downgrade in January 2024. The Group continues to review its cost base with several initiatives put in place to reduce costs and improve income generation. Operating costs increased by 8.6% (2023: 17.1%) and continued to be affected by the rise in inflation including higher utilities and insurance costs of £4.8 million, with increases in: the costs of housing management including decants (£9.8m); leasehold (by £6.1m) and service charge (by £4.7m). Repairs costs increased by £7.7 million, driven by higher inflation, increased volumes of repairs and the cost of transitioning to a new joint venture repairs partnership. In commercial activities, the Group’s end-of-year results were impacted by the planned reduction of its sales and development programme. Construction costs and delays also increased with some schemes rolling into 2024/25, leading to impairments on some current schemes (£12.6m). A2Dominion’s balance sheet remains strong, with a Fitch A credit rating, more than £3.5bn of fixed assets and investments, and a reserves position of over £1bn. With significant liquidity and a strong asset base, the Group has been taking the tough calls now to reset the business to ensure it is well prepared to meet the significant challenges faced across the wider housing sector in years to come so that we can do more to support customers and alleviate housing needs. Ian Wardle, Chief Executive Officer of the A2Dominion Group, said: “Over the last year we’ve been open and transparent about the need to improve outcomes for our customers, all while dealing with the pressures of financial and regulatory change to the housing sector as a whole. “Since I arrived at A2Dominion in 2022, the Board has been clear we needed to simplify the organisation and return to the roots and beating heart of a housing association, moving away from being a residential property group. “This means we have had to take some tough calls to reset and pivot the organisation. These difficult decisions are being taken for the right reasons to support service improvement, adjust our development focus and write off some historic costs that we don’t believe will deliver what we need for customers and colleagues. “Our strategic priorities outlined in this report look set to help achieve value for money, working first and foremost with – and listening to – customers, as well as other stakeholders to prioritise investment in our core services and communities. “Although the Group’s profitability continued to come under pressure from economic constraints, we’ve already taken action to reduce costs and improve income generation. But there is still work to do. “Our underlying financial strength and potential is strong, and we will return to profitability as part of the improvements we are making.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A housing association-led partnership has transformed two college classrooms into cutting-edge workshops, designed to inspire students to join the construction sector. Hartlepool College of Further Education unveiled its new construction workshops to students on Tuesday, following its transformation by be:ONE partners. The be:ONE partnership was launched in April by believe housing, with contractors Buston & Maughan Group, RE:GEN Group, Sendrig Construction Limited and Sunter Limited, to deliver improvements to around 5,600 of its homes by 2028. The collaboration sees the partners work together to improve customer experience, achieve significant savings, and maximise the impact of social value in communities. There is also a strong focus on supporting the local economy and employment and reducing their impact on the environment. To deliver its first significant social value project, partners and suppliers gave 635 hours and donated more than £8,000 of materials to refurbish the workshops, which are kitted out with fit-for-industry equipment. Ruth Dent, Director of Assets and Compliance at believe housing, said: “The college does a fantastic job of giving students the skills and knowledge they need to get ready for a career in construction; in roles that are increasingly vital for building the new homes we need, maintaining and decarbonising existing homes, and supporting the regional economy. “We wanted to help make its learning spaces even more inspiring, and the be:ONE partners have pulled out all the stops to transform the workshop into the bright, well-equipped facility they deserve. “I’m deeply grateful to the partners for their hard work and enthusiasm and to suppliers Jewson, JTC Kitchens and Brewers Decorating for generously donating materials to the project. “I’m honoured that the college has let us help shape the students’ time at college and look forward to continuing to support them; maybe in the not-too-distant future some of them will be working for believe housing or our construction partners, helping us maintain and improve customers’ homes and supporting the local economy and jobs. “Together, we’ve created workshops that will help many young people to realise their potential, to succeed in our competitive world, and open doors to careers they might have never thought possible. “The skills learnt here will not only benefit the students but will also benefit the businesses they go on to work for and the communities they return to.” John Cartwright, Head of Business Growth and Skills at Hartlepool College of Further Education, said: “Planning a further education curriculum that maps into the construction industry is extremely difficult due to the ever-changing industry landscape. “Creating an inspiring educational environment that will support and ‘transform students’ lives’ is also difficult, due to cuts in education budgets and a severe lack of funds. “Working with Ruth Dent and the huge team of be:ONE partners has been a brilliant experience for us. “The college has gained not just brilliant, high-end workshops, but we have also partnered with some of the best industry employers in the region which will provide rich information from the sector to support the growth of our learners’ knowledge, skills and behaviours. “We are very fortunate to be part of this partnership and close links between all members have already been forged. “Our learners and staff will cherish these facilities that have been designed and built by industry with them in mind. “We can’t wait for our learners to show off their new skills in these fantastic facilities and look forward to the start of what plans to be a fabulous partnership.” One student said: “I love what they’re doing at Hartlepool college. They’re giving me a real stepping stone to how it works in the real world when I get a job.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A brand-new estate of homes for affordable rent and shared ownership in Preston has been completed by Community Gateway Association (CGA), the city’s largest not-for-profit housing association. The 78 homes, comprising 75 houses, three bungalows, a playground and ample green space, have been built by Seddon Housing Partnerships on behalf of CGA. 43 of the homes are available for affordable rent, while 35 are to be sold on a shared-ownership basis. The site, completed in May, is on Miller Road in Ribbleton, Preston, and has been designed to promote ‘people-led construction’. CGA’s Executive Director of Customers and Communities, Louise Mattinson, said: “We’re thrilled to see final completion at our Miller Road development. These new affordable and shared ownership homes are sorely needed in Preston and to be able to deliver them to such a high standard has been so encouraging. “It will be incredible to watch the community evolve over the years as individuals and families make homes out of these houses.” While construction was underway, Seddon and CGA were recognised with an LABC Brick Award for their standards of quality on the project, taking home the ‘Social Housing Development of the Year’ accolade, following an inspection of the site by risk management surveyors. LABC praised the quality of the workmanship, with the project standing out for its commitment to health and safety, site organisation and tidiness, innovation and care for the environment. Peter Jackson, Managing Director of Seddon Housing Partnerships, said: “The project at Miller Road is another great example of how Seddon works in partnership with organisations of all kinds to develop new and vibrant spaces. Working with CGA has been immensely rewarding and we look forward to developing projects with them in the future. “We were thrilled to receive the recognition from LABC, but we’re more excited to see people moving into their new homes and creating a community.” Seddon Housing Partnerships is part of the Seddon family of businesses. Committed to its ‘Better Homes, Better Lives’ ethos, they form partnerships with housing associations and local authorities to develop new homes, and refurbish, retrofit and regenerate existing homes and communities. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
One of the Midlands largest housing associations in partnership with one of the UK’s top house builders have been crowned winners in a leading awards scheme. Platform Housing Group and Keepmoat have been awarded the Property Deal of the Year category in this year’s East Midlands Property Dinner organised by Insider Media. The awards aim to recognise and champion the very best real estate, construction and design in the East Midlands. The joint entry focussed on the sale of a site of 604 residential dwellings by Boots Properties Limited to Keepmoat and the simultaneous subsale of land for 319 homes to Platform Housing Group for construction by Keepmoat of affordable housing alongside homes for sale. The transaction comprises a significant part of the 286 acre Nottingham Enterprise Zone and Walgreen Boots Alliance campus, which formed part of the health and pharmacy chains operational headquarters where it developed and manufactured ibuprofen painkillers during the 1960s. The deal is a true Nottingham born success story, linking a historical industrial site from Nottingham’s largest employer with the local offices of one of the country’s most successful housebuilders and one of the Midlands largest housing associations. The legal teams were exclusively drawn from Nottingham based law firms, Geldards LLP, acting for Boots; Freeths LLP, acting for Keepmoat and Browne Jacobson LLP, acting for Platform. Boots were represented by well known Nottingham agent Tim Garratt from Black Star Advisory. The large scale regeneration project will see Keepmoat deliver more than 600 high quality, multi tenure new homes over a period of six years, with construction due to complete in 2029. The winners were unveiled at a ceremony on Thursday 5 September at the East Midlands Conference Centre, one of the Midlands prime conference venues in Nottingham. Kate Ellison, Director of Land, Partnerships and Business Development at Platform Housing Group said: “We are absolutely delighted to win this award. Due to the insolvency of the previous developer, the transaction had to be completed from a standing start in only a little over eight weeks and required a herculean collaborative effort from all parties involved. With challenging planning, environmental and legal issues to overcome, the transaction was only possible as a result of the passion and drive of the highly skilled and dedicated teams within each of the parties involved to make the scheme a reality.” Boots has occupied the site for almost 100 years and the development supports its’ desire for a positive legacy for the former industrial site, and Keepmoat and Platform’s ongoing commitments to sustainability with high quality, energy efficient homes that have innovative solar electricity tech panels and air source heat pumps installed with a further aspiration for a number of homes to benefit from ‘zero bills.’ Charlotte Goode, Divisional Chair at Keepmoat said: “The whole team at Keepmoat are extremely proud to be part of this transformative project, which not only delivers high quality, energy efficient homes but also preserves the legacy of the site’s historical past. This award is a testament to the hard work and collaboration of both Keepmoat and Platform Housing Group, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact this development will have on the local community and the region.” Gabor Taller, Partner at Browne Jacobson said: “I am so pleased that the Platform and Keepmoat teams are getting the recognition they richly deserve for pulling together this landmark deal for the region. Like Platform, Browne Jacobson is on a mission to drive positive change and is committed to help tackle society’s biggest challenges in a meaningful way; is therefore genuinely rewarding to be involved in this strategic project which will deliver sustainable, quality, affordable homes with a unique design and leave a legacy for the site’s historical past.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The final phase of the £42.8m award-winning Welsh Streets neighbourhood regeneration in Liverpool has been completed, bringing the total number of Placefirst homes delivered across the area to 296. The now complete scheme delivers professionally managed, newly built and refurbished rental homes. In close partnership with Liverpool City Council, Placefirst developed a masterplan in 2016 that has delivered a carefully considered neighbourhood, designed to transform the highly deprived area into a vibrant community that meets the local housing needs. The single-family housing developer’s sixth and final phase offers 13 new builds, consisting of three-bedroom houses, and one to two-bedroom apartments, to mark the completion of Placefirst’s 10-year regeneration programme. Featuring a community hub, where Placefirst’s dedicated resident services manager will be based, in addition to providing a place for community engagement and building initiatives, the project is one with community needs at its core – from design to operation. Investing over £40m into the area’s transformation, Placefirst has generated socio-economic benefits that have seen a domino effect of greater investment into the area, including over £1.7m into housing, business property refurbishments and a rise in the number of small businesses[1]. The nine streets that comprise Liverpool’s Welsh Streets – named after the Welsh workers who built and lived in the houses that stood there in the late 19th century – have a celebrated history in the city including being the birthplace of The Beatles’ Ringo Starr, and the site for the BBC’s ‘Peaky Blinders’. Marking the completion of Welsh Streets, David Mawson, chief executive of Placefirst, said: “Rooted in the area’s history, the significance of Welsh Streets to the local community and the city of Liverpool cannot be understated. “Our mission to transform this once-neglected area into a neighbourhood that instils pride and delivers lasting social and economic benefits has driven this ambitious 8-year project. As we prepare to welcome residents to the final phase, Welsh Streets stands as a testament to the importance of community-centred development. Working closely with existing residents, the completed neighbourhood celebrates the area’s history whilst reflecting the ambitions of today’s community, fit to deliver longstanding value for generations to come. “As our growth continues at pace, Welsh Streets remains a flagship development that has set a standard for what to expect as we look to continue enhancing communities through the growth of our single-family rental portfolio.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Cost comparisons by Habinteg Housing Association of grab rail, stairlift and wet room home adaptations show that people living in an M4(1) visitable dwelling who need to carry out such adaptations could be almost £27,000 worse off compared to those living in an accessible and adaptable M4(2) home. Families and individuals could be forced to spend savings to privately fund essential adaptation whilst Local Authorities would be picking up the bill for those who do not have savings through a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG). With Government allocating £625 million to Local Authorities’ DFG funds in 2024/25 (185% more than 10 years ago), unless homes are designed to be more adaptable from the outset, Councils are set to face increasing pressure on home adaptation grants as the population ages and disability rates rise1. This is one reason why Habinteg is urging the Government to make the M4(2) accessible and adaptable standard the baseline for all new homes in England, and to immediately hold the one short consultation with industry stakeholders on the implementation details to make it happen. If it does not, its pledge to deliver 1.5 million homes this parliamentary term could see the country’s housing crisis worsen for future households that include disabled and older people. Currently: Habinteg’s price comparison illustrates that the cost of adapting an older or M4(1) home, for a person who may need one or all three of the most common adaptations, could cost almost £27,0002. In a typical scenario, a bathroom grab rail can cost over £270 to install in an older home. As the property’s wall may be too weak to mount a grab rail, the work would include wall strengthening. For an M4(2) property – which already has walls capable of supporting a grab rail – a builder could install the grab rail at a more affordable cost of around £125. If someone needs a stairlift, it can cost between £9,000 – £10,000 to install one in an M4(1) home, depending on the design of the stairs. An M4(1) property is likely to have steeper and narrower or curved staircase. Whereas the cost of fitting a stairlift in an accessible and adaptable home would average between £2500-£4000. In some older homes stair lifts are not possible to fit, due to the narrowness of the stairs or other prohibitive design issues, in which case a through-floor lift is needed which can cost between £18,000 and £20,000. Meanwhile, converting an entry level WC to a wet room – completing all the structural and plumbing work needed – would typically cost at least £6500 in an M4(1) home. In contrast, adapting the same room in an accessible and adaptable home (using the pre-existing drainage) could be close to £1,800 cheaper, with less work required, making it 37 per cent cheaper to adapt than an M4(1) home. Disability Activist and wheelchair user Kerry Thompson said: “We’re living in a society where individuals are living longer, with a life expectancy in England of 79 years for males and 83 years for women. Add appropriate housing to that and it can dramatically improve a disabled or older person’s ability to live independently. We know that those with homes that do meet their accessibility needs also report improved health and well-being. “And, having the right adaptations to a home that is already accessible and adaptable can create significant savings to the public purse, reducing social care costs for local authorities and health costs for the NHS. “I urge everyone to think for just a few seconds of the type of future disabled and older people face if the M4(2) standard is not implemented now. Very few of us have the income or savings necessary to afford the kind of adaptations needed to an older or M4(1) home. The DFG isn’t an endless pot.” Christina McGill, Habinteg’s Director of Social Impact & External Affairs, said: “Almost 80% of disabled people acquire their impairment after the age of 16, so the accessibility and adaptability of new homes is critical if they are to be fit for purpose for the whole population. Our simple cost comparisons show it’s much cheaper to adapt an M4(2) accessible and adaptable home, making this standard fantastic value for money. “We should also remember that M4(2) homes are not specialist, they are designed to be inclusive, welcoming and easy to live in for everyone, whether it be a young person starting out, a family with young children or older people in retirement. “So, as the Labour Government embarks on its ambitious house-building program, we urge them to prioritise accessibility and adaptability in all new homes. “Bringing in the accessible and adaptable standard, now, for all new homes built in England will ensure that our housing stock is fit for the future and will send a strong message that the health and wellbeing of all citizens is being prioritised.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
