Strategic Ambition Eight
"Develop homes, services and operations in a sustainable and environmentally responsible way"
Our focus on sustainability continued to grow this year, reflecting its increasing importance both across the housing sector and within our own operations. This has meant taking a structured approach to improving environmental performance, alongside developing a clear long-term framework to guide the way ahead.
One area of real progress has been the delivery of the first year of our Warm Homes Project. This programme is an important step in improving the energy efficiency of our existing homes, helping to tackle the challenges of older housing stock while reducing environmental impact and improving living conditions for residents.
During the year, we invested £496,554.87 in energy efficiency improvements across 33 lower EPC-rated properties, including Solar PV, heating upgrades and insulation works.
We also ensured that all new homes delivered during the year achieved a minimum standard of EPC B or above. This shows a consistent commitment to making sure new development aligns with higher environmental standards, supporting long-term sustainability and reducing energy use in the homes we build.
This year also saw the development of a new five-year Sustainability Strategy for 2025-30, giving us a clear and coordinated framework to guide activity across our homes, services and operations. This provides the structure we need to embed environmental responsibility for the long term.
Taken together, this reflects a measured and forward-looking approach to sustainability. By combining practical improvements to existing homes, high standards in new development and a clear long-term strategy, we are making steady progress in reducing our environmental impact and supporting more sustainable rural communities.
Improving the energy efficiency of homes matters because it affects people’s everyday lives. Warmer homes can be more comfortable, more affordable to run and better for the environment, so it is important that residents’ experiences help shape how this work is planned and delivered.
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>> Combining targeted investment in existing homes with high standards for new development improves overall environmental resilience and performance.
>> A clear long-term sustainability strategy is critical to embedding environmental responsibility across homes, services and operations.
>> Progress on energy efficiency can be slower than planned, so accurate property-level data and careful phasing are essential to delivering the best and most cost-effective outcomes.
