Member Article

Salix Homes named amongst top housing associations in the North for commitment to building safety

Salford housing association Salix Homes has been named amongst the top landlords in the North of England in recognition of its commitment to building and fire safety.

Salix Homes, which owns 8,000 properties in Salford, is one of just three finalists in the Housing Organisation of the Year category of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Northern Awards.

The housing association has been recognised for its approach to building and fire safety following the Grenfell Tower Tragedy.

Earlier this year Salix Homes completed its cladding remediation and safety enhancement programme across its high-rise blocks in Salford.

The landlord is also playing a key role in championing building safety behavioural change programmes across the housing sector, and has worked alongside Government bodies to support and advise on the development of the national Building A Safer Future Charter and the consultation process on the Government’s draft Building Safety Bill.

Judges were also impressed with Salix Homes’ commitment to ensuring tenants have a strong voice to influence the organisation, after setting up its ground-breaking Customer Committee to give tenants a greater say in how its housing services are run.

Sue Sutton, chief executive at Salix Homes, said: “The safety and wellbeing of our residents is the utmost priority for Salix Homes. Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, we moved quickly to enhance safety measures across all our high-rise buildings and work with Government bodies to raise the bar on building safety on a national level, so to be recognised by the Chartered Institute of Housing is a real testament to our efforts to put building safety first.

“We’re also particularly proud that the judges were impressed by our Customer Committee and the impact it’s having on both our organisation and the wider social housing sector.

“Never has it been more important for social landlords to listen to the voices of tenants and we firmly believe our modern approach to customer engagement echoes the recommendations made in the Government’s Social Housing White Paper, calling for greater accountability, transparency and engagement with customers, so we’re very proud to be leading the way.”

Salix Homes’ new flagship affordable housing development - Artifex - has also been named as a finalist in the Best Housing Development of the Year category.

Artifex is an 11-storey apartment block in Trinity, which opened earlier this year bringing 108 affordable homes to city.

Ms Sutton added: “The shortage of affordable housing across the UK is a very real and prominent issue and Salix Homes is committed to delivering more high quality, affordable housing in Salford. Artifex has brought 108 affordable homes to an area of Salford, which has seen little to no new affordable housing for decades, so it’s a real honour to see this scheme recognised in such prestigious sector awards.”

The CIH Northern Awards are new for 2021 and recognise and celebrate the creativity, passion, and innovation of housing organisations and individuals across the housing sector in the North of England.

The winners will be announced next month.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Hayley Collins .