We launch our Development Strategy for the next five years

The Development Team have launched their strategy for the next five years. It outlines what the team expect to achieve and their vision for the future.

The strategy has also been shortlisted for Development Strategy of the Year at the Building Communities Awards.

It considers a detailed evaluation of the current environment and looks ahead to what journey we would like to take over the next five years.

It looks at both our affordable development programme and the development of open market sale.

The strategy has been completed by looking at both internal and external improvements along with changes that could be made to help us achieve our business objectives.

Our Head of Development Services Natalie Treadwell said: “We have a clear idea of what success will look like for us in the Development Strategy. There will be seamless communication between the team to internal and external customers.

“We will have an empowered team that will embrace the Citizen values and we will be flexible and adaptable to a changing environment.

“The Development Strategy covers all our new initiatives and defines how the team will work towards each strategic objective.

“We have scrutinised where we are and what we must do to adapt. The strategy projects where we want to be, what products and services we want to be delivering to our customers and how we are going to get there.”

This approach has provided us with our strategic direction and focus for the next five years.

The key points of our Development Strategy are:

• Our affordable programme will move to a balanced programme between s106 properties (properties built in return for the grant of planning permission) and grant funded schemes. This will allow us to remain flexible with our approach to the delivery of new homes.
• Signature New Homes will increase delivery by 100 new homes per year from 2020/21, whilst seeking to develop into a more recognisable brand of quality. It will also attempt to differentiate itself through homes with high quality specifications and increased plot sizes, where land and value allow.
• Across a range of affordable tenures, we aim to provide an initial programme of 400 in 2019/20, increasing to 500, 600, 700 then stabilising at 550 from 2023 onwards, through building Affordable and Social Rented homes and Shared Ownership properties.

The main objectives are:

People – To create a customer focused delivery culture that understands and appreciates the needs and wants of the internal and external customer.

Quality – To set a Citizen and Signature standard that is recognised as a better product; achieving efficient delivery through better quality control.

Efficiency – Through the minimisation of waste, a shift in focus will ensure we have efficient processes and programming for the delivery of quality new homes.

Land – Our aim is to secure a pipeline of land opportunities to allow us to bring forward developments to meet the business plan.

Regeneration – Our aim is to transform and create communities which give people a foundation for life.

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