affordable housing

Housing Association Magazine Editor Joe Bradbury takes a sneak peek at the social housing Santa list. Excitable Edgar aside, what do we want for Christmas as a sector?

It’s understandable that many are struggling to feel jolly as another year is added to the number of years of failure in housing policy. The once common concept of home ownership is now an impossible dream for many, and untold numbers of people are being pushed into homelessness.

The catastrophic decline in social housing has left millions feeling insecure in unaffordable homes they’ll never own. Unless we take action, the future of man will be a generation of young families that are, at best, trapped renting privately for their whole lives, with billions in welfare costs being paid to private landlords. Bah humbug!

Housing Association magazine brings you a round-up of the latest housing developments in the pipeline, and shares construction news in the social and affordable housing sectors…

Housing scheme, Hugh Webster Place, features bright and colourful cladding which has been complemented by the use of Senior Architectural Systems’ slim profile SPW600 aluminium doors and windows. The fenestration package has been designed, fabricated and installed by Glass & Framing Solutions Ltd for main contractor Houlton & Sons.

Futurebuild, the leading event for the built environment, is solidifying its commitment to driving positive change in the industry through an all-new Innovation Partnership programme for 2020.
This programme is central to Futurebuild’s core purpose as the home of innovation. The latest and most forward-thinking processes, materials and products will be showcased across the event providing visitors with the solutions they need to tackle the biggest challenges facing the built environment. The partnerships will be formed with the brands who share this purpose and are determined to make a difference to the future of the built environment.

One Manchester welcomed Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to its latest development, to unveil 27 new affordable homes in the heart of Openshaw, including 15 bungalows designed specifically for those living with cognitive conditions.

Andy Burnham praised the social housing and community services provider for bringing the future of housing to Openshaw through the introduction of the development, called South Gate, which brings together a mix of different tenures for the area.

Putting residents at the heart of housing regeneration has resulted in overwhelming support for proposals to revamp the Brookhill Close estate in Greenwich, demonstrating the critical importance of early and continual engagement with communities.

Residents were balloted in February to ask whether or not they wanted plans to go ahead. Of the 99 eligible voters, 87% voted, with 86% in favour of regeneration.

Hyde is planning to demolish 80 homes, replacing them with 272 new flats and houses, as well as improving the layout of the estate. There will be 76 social rented homes for existing residents and London Affordable Rent homes for new tenants. There will also be 64 homes for shared ownership and a further 132 for private sale, which will help fund regeneration.

Editor Victoria Galligan asks Joseph Daniels, CEO of modular homes provider Project Etopia, about the advances in MMC and how a joint venture enabled modular developments to get up and running…

Modular homes Q&A with Joseph Daniels, Project Etopia

Tell us about the factory: what type of properties can be made onsite and where will the modular homes be placed?

The factory will create the panels needed to build modular homes. It has the capability of producing enough panels for 2,000 homes a year, although we have ambitions to grow capacity to 6,000 homes a year. By using a panelised system, the parts can be transported to any part of the country where a house can then be built on-site.