The housing sector donned its finery last week for the annual Inside Housing Awards, established to recognise success and innovation in delivering homes across the country.
The HCA took home five awards from ten categories at the event. And, as Executive Director of the South and South West Area, I’m proud to say that three of them were from the South West, including the overall winner – Cranbrook – chosen as best development across all 10 categories.
There is a huge amount of hard work and expertise behind these winners, from the developers and housing associations to the local authorities involved, as well as the HCA staff who have supported each project.
Here’s a brief round-up of the winners on the night:
Affordable Development of the Year and Best Overall Development: Cranbrook, near Exeter
If you haven’t heard of Cranbrook, you soon will. It’s one of the largest housing and employment developments in the country and will ultimately create over 6,500 new homes, alongside new schools, extensive community facilities, a new high street and a railway station.
The judges were impressed with the range of and mix of new homes being built and, thanks to forward-funding by the HCA, the community facilities that are already in place. This means Cranbrook has very quickly gained a real sense of community, before the housing is completed. It’s a development that the Agency can learn many lessons from as we continue to build new communities across the country.
Regeneration Scheme if the Year: North Prospect in Plymouth
Plymouth Community Homes / Barratt David Wilson Homes / Mi-space / Plymouth City Council
The North Prospect Regeneration is a £126million, multi-phase project to replace around 600 homes that are no longer fit for purpose with over 1,100 mixed tenure homes. There’s also a large-scale refurbishment programme to extend the life of over 300 homes.
Residents who have moved into new homes (or had homes refurbished), say that their houses are now warmer, their bills reduced and their children happier, healthier and doing better at school. The HCA has worked with partners Plymouth Community Homes and Plymouth City Council on the scheme, which isn’t just about building new homes, but regenerating a whole community.
Sustainable Development of the Year: Hanham Hall near Bristol
Sovereign / Barratt Homes / South Gloucestershire Council
Hanham Hall is one of the country’s most high profile ‘zero carbon’ communities. The former hospital site near Bristol is being transformed into a mixed community of 185 new homes (including 61 affordable homes). Working with Barratt Homes, Hanham Hall is built to extremely high standards of sustainability, including solar panels and low energy lighting in every house, harvesting facilities which supply rainwater to washing machines and toilets, bike storage units and cycle routes to Bristol, and 10 acres of allotments. Hanham Hall is run by residents, who have shares in a community interest company set up to manage buildings and grounds.
Best supported Housing Scheme: Amblecote Gardens, Little Hutton
City West Housing Trust/Bardsley Construction/ DK Architects/ Salford City Council
This HCA-supported Extra Care scheme in Salford has 66 apartments designed for independent living. It is based in the heart of the new Amblecote Green community. There is a dedicated onsite support scheme for residents and community facilities including hair salon, landscaped gardens and restaurant.
Joint Venture Development of the Year: Northfield Village in Stafford
Led by the Wrekin Housing Trust
The first phase of this extra care scheme includes Limewood, a specialist dementia care centre, a GP surgery and pharmacy; Saltbank Court, a supported housing for people with learning disabilities, affordable, general needs housing; and a biomass energy centre providing the site with heating and hot water. The judges were particularly impressed with Northfield's attractive, thoughtful design. The project was led by Wrekin Housing Trust, a key delivery partner for the HCA in the Midlands. As well as a number of extra care schemes, HCA has worked with Wrekin Housing Trust to provide affordable homes and to bring empty homes back into use.