STRATEGIC REPORT
Homes where they're needed
We remain committed to our development programme and the delivery of the homes that people want, where they’re needed most. In an operating environment that continues to pose challenges, over the last year, we’ve delivered more than 600 high-quality homes across a variety of tenures.
WATCH Dan Sly, a single parent whose dream of getting onto the property ladder was made possible thanks to one of our Rent to Buy homes.
We remain committed to our development programme and the delivery of the homes that people want, where they’re needed most. In an operating environment that continues to pose challenges, over the last year, we’ve delivered more than 600 high-quality homes across a variety of tenures.
WATCH Dan Sly, a single parent whose dream of getting onto the property ladder was made possible thanks to one of our Rent to Buy homes.
Having reviewed our delivery programme last year, we reduced the number of homes we forecasted to deliver under our Strategic Partnership with Homes England to around 600 homes. While inflation continues to pose a challenge—in addition to consistently high land prices—we have seen build costs level out over the course of the last year. However, the main factors affecting our delivery have been difficulties our contractors have faced in accessing warranties, planning issues and our refusal to accept homes of a lower quality than we expect, resulting in programme uncertainty. While this focus on quality has resulted in some handover delays, over the last 12 months, we invested £104million to successfully deliver 611 new homes—602 of which were made available for either social, affordable or intermediate rent or low-cost ownership options, such as shared ownership or Rent to Home Buy. As well as delivering new homes, we started work on a further 387, 144 of which will be available for social and affordable rent, shared ownership and Rent to Home Buy. In 2024/25, we expect to complete 564 new homes as we aim to deliver over 2,500 over the next five years.
98.5 percent of the new homes we delivered this year were made available for either social, affordable or intermediate rent or low-cost ownership.
You can find out more about our ambitious development programme—and how we deliver it—by visiting the dedicated Growth and Development section of the Longhurst Group website.
Having reviewed our delivery programme last year, we reduced the number of homes we forecasted to deliver under our Strategic Partnership with Homes England to around 600 homes. While inflation continues to pose a challenge—in addition to consistently high land prices—we have seen build costs level out over the course of the last year. However, the main factors affecting our delivery have been difficulties our contractors have faced in accessing warranties, planning issues and our refusal to accept homes of a lower quality than we expect, resulting in programme uncertainty.
98.5 percent of the new homes we delivered this year were made available for either social, affordable or intermediate rent or low-cost ownership.
While this focus on quality has resulted in some handover delays, over the last 12 months, we invested £104million to successfully deliver 611 new homes—602 of which were made available for either social, affordable or intermediate rent or low-cost ownership options, such as shared ownership or Rent to Home Buy. As well as delivering new homes, we started work on a further 387, 144 of which will be available for social and affordable rent, shared ownership and Rent to Home Buy. In 2024/25, we expect to complete 564 new homes as we aim to deliver over 2,500 over the next five years.
You can find out more about our ambitious development programme—and how we deliver it—by visiting the dedicated Growth and Development section of the Longhurst Group website.
Investing in our existing homes
Last year also saw us deliver our largest major works programme to date. We replaced more than 4,700 components across thousands of our homes, including 459 kitchens, 1,600 heating replacements, 500 fire doors, 600 windows and more than 1,000 entrance doors. Throughout the year, our Planned Works Team achieved a customer satisfaction rate of 94 percent, reflecting the quality of work delivered. Next year, we plan to undertake around 10,000 stock condition surveys, further deepening our knowledge of the homes we manage and helping us to direct our planned investment of around £28million, prioritising those properties that require it most.
Customer satisfaction rate for Planned Works Team
Investing in our existing homes
Last year also saw us deliver our largest major works programme to date.
We replaced more than 4,700 components across thousands of our homes, including 459 kitchens, 1,600 heating replacements, 500 fire doors, 600 windows and more than 1,000 entrance doors.
Throughout the year, our Planned Works Team achieved a customer satisfaction rate of 94 percent, reflecting the quality of work delivered.
Next year, we plan to undertake around 10,000 stock condition surveys, further deepening our knowledge of the homes we manage and helping us to direct our planned investment of around £28million, prioritising those properties that require it most.
Customer satisfaction rate for Planned Works Team
Energy efficiency
All new homes delivered throughout the year were developed to an average EPC rating of B, as part of our ongoing commitment to the drive towards Net Zero 2050. In addition, this year, hundreds of homes also benefitted from energy efficiency improvements through our Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF). The £14m project, supported by £6.3m of grant funding will upgrade a total of 581 homes with an EPC rating below C over the next two years.
Throughout 2023/24, 506 retrofit assessments were completed with work on 339 being either started or scheduled. A total of 113 homes were completed, with a total of 637 ‘measures’—or improvements—being installed. Looking ahead, we plan to make a further investment of around £8million into our SHDF programme for 2024/25, as we look to improve the energy efficiency of even more of our homes.
Number of homes to be upgraded as part of our SHDF Programme
Read more about our SHDF project and what it means for customers.
Energy efficiency
All new homes delivered throughout the year were developed to an average EPC rating of B, as part of our ongoing commitment to the drive towards Net Zero 2050.
In addition, this year, hundreds of homes also benefitted from energy efficiency improvements through our Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).
The £14m project, supported by £6.3m of grant funding will upgrade a total of 581 homes with an EPC rating below C over the next two years.
Throughout 2023/24, 506 retrofit assessments were completed with work on 339 being either started or scheduled.
A total of 113 homes were completed, with a total of 637 ‘measures’—or improvements—being installed.
Looking ahead, we plan to make a further investment of around £8million into our SHDF programme for 2024/25, as we look to improve the energy efficiency of even more of our homes.
Number of homes to be upgraded as part of our SHDF Programme
Read more about our SHDF project and what it means for customers.
CASE STUDY
Breaking new ground
Of all the new homes that were completed this year, 234 were built using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), with work beginning on a further 81. February 2024 saw the completion of California Meadows in Huntingdon—our 56-home development of one, two and three-bedroom homes.
CASE STUDY
Breaking new ground
Of all the new homes that were completed this year, 234 were built using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), with work beginning on a further 81. February 2024 saw the completion of California Meadows in Huntingdon—our 56-home development of one, two and three-bedroom homes.