This project was developed in response to the growing number of people on housing waiting lists in Salford, with over 4,000 households who are desperate for sustainable and truly affordable new homes to live in. The client earmarked 5 separate sites, which would be suitable for 225 new affordable homes, on land in Council ownership. The first tranche of 104 new homes were to be delivered across the first 3 sites: Clifton Green, Ryall Avenue & Brassington Avenue which are all in areas of high social deprivation.
The new homes are completely sustainable and designed to Passivhaus standards with a number of homes on each site Passivhaus-certified. The Passivhaus institute have been involved since the initial project concept stage and remained involved all the way through to handover. The remaining properties are designed and constructed to exacting Passivhaus standards but will not have the formal certificate, ensuring the public sector budget stretches as far as possible with the same exceptional outcomes.
The properties were designed for social and affordable rent, and as such they were designed to NDSS and M42/M43 accessibility requirements, futureproofing them for a range of resident needs which will ensure social inclusion and diversity.
The client has worked with local charities, Inspiring Housing and the Broughton Trust, as part of the Community Homes Grant. The charities will be taking a number of the properties due for completion, along with providing additional support for those at risk of homelessness, asylum seekers, ex-offenders, ex-service personnel and single occupants. A detailed social value commitment programme, aimed to maximise local impact was also agreed at the outset and included within the contracts to ensure delivery of outcomes. These included apprenticeships, a programme of delivering CSCS qualifications, work with local schools and external clean ups.
Three Winning Facts:
- Net Zero Carbon in Use with Low Environmental Impact: This is the first Passivhaus scheme completed in Salford, ensuring low energy bills for residents who are amongst some of the region’s most vulnerable residents and enabling the City of Salford, as a fellow GM Borough, to achieve its joint commitment to be NetZero by 2038.
- Outstanding customer satisfaction: Creation of a desirable and sustainable place to live for present and future generations, enhancing local economic prosperity, job opportunities and skills creation, and generating a sense of civic pride which helps prevent ASB and promotes inclusivity for marginalised and socially disadvantaged groups.
- Excellence in best practice, innovation and technical achievement: These were the first schemes directly delivered by Salford City Council’s wholly owned subsidiary and stand-alone Registered Provider, Derive, bringing affordable housing back under Salford’s own control with less reliance on developers through Section 106.
