Nationwide’s Community Grants Programme now accepting applications from charities and projects helping solve housing issues across UK
Successful applicants are awarded grants ranging from £10,000 to £50,000, decided on by Nationwide’s Community Boards comprised of Nationwide members and employees
Nationwide pledges to make £22m grant funding available to housing charities and organisations by 2023
Nationwide, the world’s largest building society, has announced that applications for its 2021 Community Grants Programme are now open.
After a challenging year for everyone, but especially for those who are most vulnerable in our society, having a place fit to call home is more important than ever before. The programme forms part of Nationwide’s commitment to supporting communities by giving at least one per cent of its pre-tax profits to good causes.
The Community Grants Programme tackles local housing issues by giving charities, community land trusts and housing co-operatives access to grants between £10,000 and £50,000. Applications are open to any organisations that provide solutions to help:
Prevent people from losing their home
Help people into a home
Support people to thrive within the home environment
Nationwide’s Community Boards, made up of community-minded colleagues working at the building society and it’s members, come together to decide which projects should be awarded a grant, and in doing so are supporting their own communities to find solutions to the housing crisis.
Beneficiaries of Community Grants include organisations that have helped to support vulnerable families with young children in crisis in Northern Ireland, supported women who have been sexually exploited to navigate the housing system in Luton and those who are homeless and facing poverty in Kingston.
There are currently 11 local Community Boards across the UK. Since 2018 Nationwide has funded 350 projects and awarded £14 million in total through the programme and in 2020/21, just under £4 million in grants were awarded to 99 projects. By 2023, £22 million will have been awarded in total.
This year Nationwide is capping the amount of Community Grant applications it will accept, meaning approximately one in four applicants will be successful. If the cap isn’t reached, applications will close at 11pm on Monday 21 June.
“Everyone should have a place fit to call home which is why our Community Grants Programme is so important to us. As a member owned organisation, we have always seen it as our place to help facilitate positive changes in local communities, and we are encouraging charities to apply to our Community Grants programme.”
One year on since the housing market reopened, and the Covid-led decline in rental demand for city centre housing is bouncing back
As the UK emerges from lockdown, renter demand is up 26% in central Edinburgh, 12% in central Leeds, 7% in inner London and 5% in central Manchester in the month since Easter
London’s rental demand is being fuelled in part by a sharp improvement to affordability; with rents down -9.4%, affordability is running at a ten year high
Average rents in the City of London, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster, are running at their lowest for a decade, with average Westminster rents running at £2,259 pcm – down from £2,617 pcm in February last year
By contrast, UK rents outside of London are up 3% on the year, signalling the highest level of growth in four and half years
Rents are rising fastest in the North East (+5.5%) and the South West (+5.3%) yoy – the strongest rates of growth in a decade in these regions amid increased demand and constrained supply
Rental performance outside of London is being driven by a 59% uptick in demand for rental properties in the 28 days to the end of April, compared to the average demand recorded during the same month in the more ‘normal’ markets of 2017 -19
One year on since the housing market reopened and the Covid-led decline in rental demand for city centre housing is starting to bounce back, as the UK emerges from lockdown and affordability for renters improves.
These are the latest findings fromZoopla, the UK’s leading property portal, in its quarterly Rental Market Report:
City centre rental markets finally revived
The impact of Covid was felt most acutely in the city centre rental markets of the UK’s major regional cities. Central Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester and London were at the forefront of the rental slowdown, as offices remained closed and an extended hiatus in tourism took hold.
Stock moving over from short-term lets into the rental market, and more rental stock coming back to the market amid easing demand, led to a softening in rents in city centres, which are still down by 0.7% in Leeds, -1.1% in central Manchester, -3.2% in central Edinburgh and -9.9% in inner London (see figure 1).
However, the city centre downturn is starting to reverse as the economy opens up, workers start to return to their offices, leisure activities restart, and renters return in search of a rental bargain and restoration of their social life.
Renter demand is up 26% in central Edinburgh, 12% in central Leeds, 7% in inner London and 5% in central Manchester in the month since Easter – and is starting to absorb the supply surplus that characterised the market over the past year.
Figure 1: Rental growth in inner and outer cities in March 2021
Source: Zoopla Research
London’s rental affordability reaches ten year high
Rental declines in London bottomed out in February of this year, down -10% year on year, with overall London rents now running at -9.4%. Average monthly rents are now at the same level as they were in December 2013.
The fall in rents in London over the past year has resulted in rents being at their most affordable for ten years. Average rents now account for 42% of an average single-earner income in London, down from 49% in March 2020, and a peak of 53% in Q4 2016
Average rents in the City of London, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster, are running at their lowest for a decade, with the average monthly rent in Westminster at £2,259 – down from a high of £2,617 in February last year.
Many of London’s renters are looking to future-proof current rental affordability, locking in cost savings for as long as possible, with agents reporting an increased number of longer-than-average tenancies (in excess of 12 months) being agreed.
Regional rents rising 3% year on year – but affordability remains unchanged
The rental market outside of London paints a starkly different picture, with rents rising at 3% year on year, signalling the highest level of growth in four and half years (see figure 2).
Despite rent rises, average affordability remains broadly unchanged as wages rebound from the dip recorded last summer, keeping pace with rental growth.
Rents are rising fastest in the North East (+5.5%) and the South West (+5.3%) year on year – the strongest rate of growth in a decade in these regions amid increased demand and constrained supply. However, the North East remains one of the most affordable regions in the country, with average rents absorbing 21% of the income of the average single earner (pre-pandemic, compared to the UK average of 32%.
Northern towns of Wigan and Barnsley are seeing some of the highest rental growth in the country, at 8%, with Rochdale at 7.8%; this outperforms average annual rental growth in these towns of around 1.5% between 2011 and 2019 by some margin.
Current rental performance is being driven by a 59% uptick in demand for rental properties in the 28 days to the end of April, compared to the average demand recorded across the ‘normal’ markets of 2017 -19. In the first quarter of the year, demand for rental property outside of London was 32% higher than the same period last year.
Figure 2
The supply challenge
The supply of rental properties in most markets is failing to keep up with demand, and the new supply of property coming to the market outside of London is 5% lower than in Q1 last year.
Supply constraints are being driven by a multitude of factors. Firstly, many renters were unable or reluctant to exit the rental market and buy a property during the pandemic, limiting the flow of renters out of the sector, and absorbing more supply. At the same time, investment into the private rental market, which is predominantly made up of independent landlords, has not recovered to 2015 levels, before the additional 3% stamp duty levy was introduced for investors.
The number of properties purchased using a buy-to-let mortgage was 45% lower in 2020 than in 2015, and the number of homes in the private rented sector has fallen slightly since 2016 as landlords rationalise their portfolios in the face of tax changes and additional regulation.
Private outdoor space remains top priority for renters
Increased demand for private outdoor space has characterised renter behaviour throughout lockdown, but even as we emerge from pandemic restrictions, it remains a priority.
The proportion of renters searching for rental properties with gardens has doubled since the pre-pandemic period last year. The good news for renters is that nearly half of properties available to rent currently have a garden or access to a shared garden, and the number of these properties available to rent has risen during Q1 to levels seen last summer.
David Ross, Managing Director, Hometrack, comments: ““Rental demand will continue to rise in city centres as offices start to re-open and this, coupled with increased affordability levels in many cases, will start to counter the negative pressure on rents seen over the last 12 months.
“In London, where rents are down 9.4% on the year, a modest reversal in rental declines has begun, but it will be a slow build back to pre-pandemic levels in inner London.
“The recovery will be uneven and we expect new or recently refurbished properties to attract higher levels of demand in H2.”
Half of Edinburgh’s homeowners undervalue their home by an average of £28,351
Two thirds of homeowners across Edinburgh have lost touch with the value of their home
More than half of homeowners in Edinburgh unlocked their ‘hidden equity’ to move to a nicer property
New analysis by Zoopla, the only property portal which offers a free instant online property price estimate, conducted as part of its inaugural Hidden Equity Survey, has found that homeowners in Edinburgh are undervaluing their homes by an average of £28,351.
The Hidden Equity Survey of 2,000 homeowners* who have had their home valued by an estate agent in the past three years establishes for the first time how accurate Edinburgh homeowners’ estimations of the value of their homes really are. It found that just one in three (33%) local homeowners have an accurate idea of the estimated value of their home.
Average home in Edinburgh worth £28,000 more than owners realise
The findings from Zoopla show that almost half of homeowners in Edinburgh (45%) who had their home valued via an estate agent or sold it in the past three years said it was worth more than they thought it was – on average by £28,351.
Bathroom bonus
When asked for their thoughts on why their homes were worth more than expected, two fifths (43%) of homeowners in Edinburgh attributed their good financial fortune to installing a new bathroom. Other popular reasons being given by homeowners in the city for their financial uplift included redecorating (41%) and work on the garden (32%).
Increasingly desired
The practicalities of improving a property aren’t the only reasons for homeowners in Edinburgh to get more for their home than they thought it was worth. Edinburgh becoming an increasingly desirable place to live has also helped to add value to the properties of homeowners, with a third (36%) of homeowners citing desirability of the city for homes being worth more than their owners expected.
The good life
For Edinburgh homeowners who went on to sell their home and benefit from their hidden equity, the financial boost had a significant impact, with the majority (84%) of homeowners saying the additional money ‘improved their lifestyle’. More than half (59%) said they were able to move into a better property than they expected as a result (for example, it had more bedrooms, was in a nicer area, had a garden etc.).
One in ten (12%) homeowners in Edinburgh used their extra cash to go on more holidays and a further one in ten (12%) gifted the money to their children to help their future plans.
Different decisions
For Edinburgh homeowners who did not know the true value of their home until they got it valued by an estate agent, one in three (34%) said they would have made different financial decisions in the years prior if they had been aware of their hidden equity.
For property owners whose home was worth less than they expected, two fifths (43%) said they would have paid off more of their mortgage. Almost a third (29%) would have worked harder to build their savings rather than assume their home was accruing equity that they could draw on at a later date.
One in ten (14%) of homeowners in Edinburgh said they’d have spent less on non-essential purchases like jewellery, watches or expensive presents.
House prices rising
Zoopla has also revealed the latest House Price Index, which studies multiple local housing trends and prices on an annual basis. The data shows that the average house price in Edinburgh is now £241,000, with prices rising by 2.8% in the last 12 months. The data also shows prices in Edinburgh have increased cumulatively by 24.4% in the past five years.
Gráinne Gilmore, Head of Research at Zoopla, comments:“The direction of house prices has long been a staple of conversation around dinner tables across Edinburgh and many homeowners could be in for a lovely surprise if they have their property valued, according to our research.
“Because of the impact of the pandemic, many households are re-evaluating how they want to live and this has had an impact on the local housing market. Buyer demand has soared, racing ahead of supply, putting upwards pressure on prices. House price growth in Edinburgh is currently at 2.8% annually.
“Edinburgh homeowners keen to check up on their property’s value should head to Zoopla’s My Home, where they can see an estimated value range for their property and check for potential hidden equity.
“For those keen to progress with a sale and perhaps unlock hidden equity, they can contact an estate agent using My Home to get an expert market valuation and personalised guidance on how to best navigate this busy housing market.”
Staying on top of a property’s value
As a first step, homeowners can check My Home on Zoopla.co.uk, where they can discover their home’s worth with an instant online estimate based on powerful market data. They can also keep track of their house price estimate and access a timeline of their home’s sales history.
My Home also allows homeowners to track the estimated value of other homes in their neighbourhood, as well as homes they might want to buy in the future. Zoopla is encouraging homeowners to get estate agent valuations of their home – the most accurate way to value a property – to see if they are sitting on more equity than they think.
A new guide highlights that biodiversity should be considered at the earliest stages of planning new home developments to encourage wildlife and help reverse habitat decline.
Climate change and the decline of wildlife are the great challenges of our time which, combined with Government demands for greatly increased housing supply, are creating a balancing act which housebuilders and developers must consider in all its aspects. Sustainability must be a key consideration in housing developments ensuring a positive impact on wildlife and the adoption of nature-based solutions.
Much of the focus on sustainable housing in recent years has been in reducing carbon emissions, but the coronavirus pandemic has placed emphasis on caring for local wildlife.
· The majority of house-buyers say the pandemic has highlighted the need for more nature-rich green space.
· The UK Prime Minister recently said he will make “tackling climate change and biodiversity loss” the government’s “number one international priority”.
58% of UK species have declined over the last 50 years, and urbanisation is considered one of the key reasons why.
The National House Building Council (NHBC) Foundation has partnered with the RSPBand Barratt Developments to produce guidance on how the housebuilding industry can incorporate green infrastructure into new build homes and enhance and protect biodiversity within developments to help deliver wider public health benefits.
The new report Biodiversity in new housing developments: creating wildlife-friendly communities has just been launchedproviding guidance on planning for beautiful places, key topics include:
· Implementing Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) which mimic natural processes in managing rainfall through the use of landscape form and vegetation
· Installing roost bricks for bats and designing lighting plans in a bat-friendly way
· Putting in bird nest bricks that provide permanent nest features for declining species such as swifts
· Ensuring boundaries enable hedgehogs to move freely through a housing development.
Beccy Speight, CEO, RSPB said:“The housebuilding industry is uniquely placed in having an opportunity to create not just sustainable houses, but new, sustainable communities, where people thrive alongside wildlife.
“This guide is a great introduction to the principles and practicalities of creating wildlife-friendly communities and a great addition to the sustainable housing toolkit.
“I hope that the industry will embrace it and help to drive positive change. We all have our part to play as we seek to revive our world.”
Richard Smith, NHBC’s Head of Standards, InnovationandResearch said:“In a year so focused on health, this report is a timely reminder of the many benefits nature can provide when successfully integrated into new homes and developments.
“As we head towards COP26, we want to support those in the housing and construction sector to think more about how they can better integrate biodiversity and climate resilience into new home developments to help to achieve the country’s climate change goals and improve health and wellbeing in local communities.
“Biodiversity Net Gain will soon become mandatory in England so there’s no excuse not to start looking at these issues now.”
Barratt Homes East Scotland is leading the drive to bring much-needed modern and affordable homes to popular areas of Edinburgh.
The homebuilder has announced a multimillion-pound investment that will see almost 100 new homes – a mix of social housing and mid-market rent – created across three developments.
Alison Condie, Managing Director of Barratt Homes East Scotland said:“We’re committed to using our position as one of the country’s leading housebuilders to work in partnership with housing associations to develop well-integrated and modern low cost homes all across Edinburgh’s diverse neighbourhoods.
“High quality affordable housing has a huge role to play in addressing some of the most important societal challenges of our time – and we’re proud to help communities thrive by creating homes that meet their needs.”
In south Edinburgh, this includes 24 homes at Lime Grove in Burdiehouse and 29 homes at Heritage Grange – bringing a total of 161 affordable homes to the site once the development is completed. Both projects, which are due to complete by spring 2023, are being delivered in partnership with Castle Rock Edinvar – one of the country’s largest housing associations.
Both developments will provide high quality housing for families in particular, with a new primary school near Heritage Grange, Frogston Primary School, due to open in 2021.
Barratt Homes East
In the vibrant district of Leith, a £6m project will commence to create 43 new affordable homes at Barratt Homes’ Merchant Quay development, built in partnership with the Port of Leith Housing Association.
The homes, which aim to welcome residents by summer 2023, will be the first delivered at the Baltic Street site in recognition of the urgent need for affordable housing.
Barratt Developments – which includes both Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes – has to date delivered over 1,000 homes across Edinburgh through the Affordable Housing Policy, making the group one of the biggest contributors to affordable housing land supply in the city in the last 15 years.
This feeds in to the wider Scottish Government goal of providing 50,000 new affordable homes – with work safely kickstarting with urgency following delays caused by national lockdowns.
For more information about Barratt Homes’ properties and locations, visit
The City of Edinburgh Council and its partner Novoville are proud to announce the release of Novoville Shared Repairs, a new app dedicated to improving the condition of property in co-ownership in Edinburgh, and all of Scotland.
Born out of the Scottish Government’s CivTech Accelerator programme, Novoville’s Shared Repairs helps private homeowners carry out the maintenance and repairs of shared (common) areas in their tenement, or housing block. The often lengthy and onerous common repairs process can be managed from the app from start to finish.
The free Novoville app, which is available on Google Play and the App Store, allows users to create their ‘virtual tenement’ and report a repair or maintenance issue to fellow proprietors. Then, app users can hire contractors that are members of Edinburgh’s Trusted Trader scheme. Receiving quotes and recording of votes is also fully supported.
Steve Richardson, Director of Scotland Trusted Trader, said: “This is going to be a massive benefit for those looking to organise shared repairs, backed up with the reassurance that Trading Standards vetted members are being used from Edinburgh Trusted Trader.
In order to further expedite the payment process and simplify the process, Novoville Shared Repairs allows app users to create a dedicated e-money account for their tenement with FCA-regulated partner, Modulr. It is no longer necessary to create a traditional treasurer account with a bank or building society in order to gather funds and pay them out to the chosen contractor.
The app is designed to help users carry out repairs in compliance with the Tenement Management Scheme of the Tenements Act (Scotland) 2004. Furthermore, it speeds up decision-making, eliminates much of the complexity and friction associated with coming to an agreement amongst owners, and increases transparency between all participants.
Before the official launch, nearly 50 stairs in Edinburgh have already created their ‘virtual tenement’ in-app through word-of-mouth alone.
Commenting on the app’s release, Fotis Talantzis, CEO of Novoville said: “We are proud to support one of the UK’s greatest architectural assets, the built environment in Edinburgh, with our Shared Repairs app.
“The CivTech programme where it all started was a tremendous experience, and we are very happy that the City of Edinburgh Council decided to continue to support and fund the project afterwards. We have got tons of ideas to take it from there and we’re looking forward to continuing to work with Edinburgh, for Edinburgh and Scotland at large.”
Cllr Rob Munn, Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “A tremendous amount of work has gone into producing this app and it’s fantastic news that it’s now available for people to use.
“There are around 170,000 tenement flats and other shared buildings with multiple owners in Edinburgh and a lot of these buildings are still in need of urgent repair. This app will make it much easier for owners to get together and take responsibility for their buildings.
“I’d like to thank our staff for recognising the need for this product and rising to the challenge using the Civtech Challenge to produce this innovative app with Novoville.”
Joan Griffiths, Vice Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “As a city we’re already leading the way in this area and our Shared Repairs Team is doing a fantastic job supporting people who live in shared buildings helping them through the steps they need to take to carry out repairs to their properties properly.
“We’re a member of the Parliamentary Working Group looking at the issue nationally and I’m sure there will be interest in the app outside Edinburg as well.”
For many people, the lure of a new home and upgraded space has become all the more present during the pandemic – with our homes becoming our sanctuaries.
For South Edinburgh mum Pauline, who dreamed of a new-build home after facing issues in older properties, The City of Edinburgh Council’s Golden Share scheme was a chance to make it her reality.
Pauline said: “My past experience in old houses made me turn a corner on what I was after. I was getting fed up of the upkeep, and always struggled to heat the other properties without it costing a fortune.
“I’d always loved the cleanliness and ease of new build properties, they always felt like they were ready to live in when you walked in the door.”
Location, location, location
For Pauline, location was everything. The new home would have to be close to a school for her two sons, as well as being close to her workplace. Ample space and at least three bedrooms were also on her checklist.
After scoping out her ideal locations, Pauline discovered Barratt Homes @ Heritage Grange provided everything she was looking for, at a price she could afford.
She said: “I didn’t know the area was there when I visited the sales office, I sort of found it by accident! In comparison to a lot of the other houses nearby, the matter of being a couple of minutes down the road also made quite a big price difference, despite the Barratt houses offering a lot more.
“It was exciting seeing it go through the different stages, Ross [the sales adviser] kept me updated throughout. Seeing it from its first initial shell, to then having everything finished for moving in, was a really positive journey. They allowed me to move in as soon as it was finished and the builders even took away all of the leftover cardboard and boxes after I had finished un-packing! It was a fantastic buying experience”.
From dream to reality
After seeing it come to life, Pauline and her two sons moved into a three-bedroom, mid-terraced Bonnyton house-type.
“It was exactly what I was after; as soon as you step into the home it feels airy and open. You can also see all the way through into the garden, with a big living dining room area just off it. It is such a difference to the other places we had lived in.
“My favourite area of the house is definitely the back and garden. When you open up the living room patio doors onto the garden, it creates one huge space. The garden itself is a perfect size and has that TARDIS-effect. I’ve managed to build a summerhouse with decking, which I often work in, so there’s an extra room there too.”
“There’s also a great sense of community among the neighbours at the development. There’s groups to keep each other updated and when there has been heavy snowfall, we’ve organised shovelling clear outs.”
Barratt @ Heritage Grange is a development of three and four-bedroom homes on the south side of the capital. Located just 15 minutes away from the city centre, it is the perfect location to enjoy a combination of country and city living in a brand new home.
Why choose Golden Share?
Backed by The City of Edinburgh Council, Golden Share is an affordable housing scheme for eligible first time buyers and existing homeowners, which allows them to purchase a new home at only 80% of its market value.
When speaking about her experience with the Golden Share scheme, Pauline said: “It’s important to be organised as it’s quite a tough process, but very much worth it in the end. I am a part-time educator for the NHS, which met the criteria, and I was able to show that my children had to be in the area, with support for them too. It worked out really well for my situation. If not, I would have been stuck in a small flat, with two growing teenagers!”
“I’d recommend anyone thinking of purchasing through Golden Share to speak to the Barratt Sales team, they were really helpful clearing up any doubts I had. Also visiting the show home was a key part of my house-buying process; it really gave me a better idea of the sizing.”
A number of Barratt Homes developments in the east of Scotland feature properties available for Golden Share, including Barratt @ Heritage Grange and The Strand @ Portobello.
The Strand @ Portobello offers a collection of two and three-bedroom terraced houses and apartments close to the picturesque Portobello beach. With excellent transportation links to Edinburgh city centre and road links around the city, the development also benefits from a number of local amenities close by on Portobello high street.
– Housebuilder supports 1,530 jobs, creates 18 new careers and 10.1ha of green space across the region –
Despite the challenges of the past year, Barratt Developments Scotland has made a substantial contribution of £245m to the UK economy, with the housebuilder’s East Scotland division supplying £97m in GVA itself.
In the year ending 30 June 2020, Barratt East Scotland has also completed 551 new homes and supported 1,530 direct, indirect and induced jobs across the region.
As the largest UK housebuilder, and one of the most sustainable, Barratt continues to safeguard the Scottish environment by creating nearly 23ha of green space. Barratt East Scotland has created 10.1ha of public green spaces and private gardens.
Barratt is working towards reducing its direct carbon emissions by 29% by 2025 and indirect emissions by 24% per square metre by 2030. In the past year, CO2e emissions per 100m.sq. of completed build area fell to 2.29t. across the East Scotland business. 99% of construction waste was also saved from landfill and 12% of new homes were built on previously developed land.
Interior architectural show home photography of David Wilson Homes Mallets Rise development in Newton Mearns
Alison Condie, managing director for Barratt Homes East Scotland, said:“We’re committed to creating strong communities, prosperous job opportunities and meaningful economic impact across the region.
“To have contributed over £97m to the economy and supported over 1,500 jobs is a fantastic achievement – especially given the challenges of the last year – and we’re determined to do even better this year.”
As part of its housebuilding activity, Barratt East Scotland has made £3m in local contributions to help build new facilities and community infrastructure. This contribution includes the provision of 202 new school places. More than £14m has also been spent on physical works within communities, such as highways, environmental improvements and community facilities.
Other key findings from the Barratt East Scotland 2020 socio-economic report include:
· Increased support for public services with £36m in generated tax revenues
· Over £105,000 donated to local charitable and community causes
· 300 supplier and 310 sub-contractor companies supported
· Increased support for the UK supply chain with 90% of all components centrally procured, assembled or manufactured in-country
· More than £9.5m in retail spending by new residents, helping support 100 retail and service-related jobs
The development of new and future talent remains a key priority for Barratt Developments Scotland and 56 graduates, apprentices and trainees launched their careers with the company in 2020, an increase from 50 in the previous year.
The assessment of Barratt Developments’ performance was carried out by independent consultants Lichfields, who analysed socio-economic impacts through the delivery chain for new housing based on Barratt datasets, published research and national statistics.
Comprehensive Design Architects(CDA) has filed outline plans to build a mixed-use development with 285 apartments on Leith’s Salamander Street.
Landowner John G Russell (Transport) Ltd said properties on the 3.4-acre site are surplus to requirements and plans to demolish these buildings ahead of the redevelopment of the site.
The redevelopment proposes a residential-led, mixed-use development which would offer approximately 300 new residential apartments of which 25% will be affordable homes in line with council planning policy.
Commercial uses will be provided at ground floor level and other ancillary development will include car parking, access, landscaping and associated infrastructure.
In a planning statement submitted with the plans, CDA wrote: “The varying scale of the proposal looks to add visual interest to the design whilst minimising any potential canyoning effect on the narrow width of Salamander Street.
“By increasing the height of the buildings the overall built footprint on the site can be reduced thus freeing up space for external amenity as well as pedestrian, cycle and vehicle access.
“Although accommodation at ground floor is limited due to flood levels, upper ground floor flats will have private gardens providing amenity as well as defensible zones.”
Local housebuilder awarded 5 stars for customer satisfaction for a record 12 years in a row
Local housebuilder Barratt Homes East Scotland has received the maximum 5-star rating in the new Home Builders Federation (HBF) annual New Homes Customer Satisfaction Survey.
The number of stars awarded is based on customer responses to the question “would you recommend your builder to a friend”? For Barratt to have been awarded 5 stars means that over 90% of its customers would recommend their homes to a friend.
This is the 12th year in a row that Barratt has achieved the 5-star rating – a record unmatched by any other major national housebuilder.
It comes on top of the recent Supreme Win at the NHBC Pride in the Job Awards, where Barratt site manager Kirk Raine scooped the top award out of a possible 11,000 site managers across the country – marking the fifth Supreme win for Barratt site managers in six years.
The HBF New Homes Survey is one of the largest surveys of its type in the country and is completed by nearly 50,000 people who have recently bought a new build home. The simple 1-5 star rating system was developed to give customers an easy to view ranking system of which housebuilders have the most satisfied customers.
The high satisfaction rates are a testament to Barratt’s commitment to building high quality homes and great places that its customers are proud to call home. The customer is at the heart of everything Barratt does, and it is this focus on making customers happy which results in such high recommendation scores.
Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation, said: “The survey demonstrates that the industry is delivering an excellent level of service in the opinion of over 90% of its customers.
“The fact that we have seen four successive years of improved satisfaction levels shows the clear focus builders have been putting on the customer. That this level of satisfaction has been delivered during a pandemic that saw sites closed and builders unable to access homes for a period makes it even more of an achievement.
“To achieve a 5-star rating, meaning that at least 90% of your customers would recommend you, is a fantastic achievement that requires commitment from everyone within the organisation.”
Alison Condie, managing director at Barratt Homes East Scotland, said:“We’re incredibly proud to have been announced a 5-star housebuilder for a record 12 years in a row.
“We work hard to look after our customers, both before and after they buy their new homes, so it’s great to know that our customers rate us so highly, and that so many of them would recommend us to a friend. We will continue to give all of our customers a 5-star service.”
Barratt is currently building a range of quality new homes across the east of Scotland.
