L&Q

Huge #SiteUpdateFriday shout out to our site team at Kodak (Harrow View East), who received The Bricks Site Recognition Award from LABC Warranty for the consistent quality of workmanship and site management. LABC Warranty is one of the largest providers of structural warranties in the UK. Sites are scored by LABC Warranty risk management surveyors during inspection visits, which take place regularly throughout key stages of construction. And then the sites that score consistently high for general co-operation with warranty inspectors, health and safety, site tidiness, standard of site management and quality of workmanship, like L&Q's Kodak, are nominated for a Site Recognition Award. Harrow View East is an ambitious housing-led scheme delivering 747 much needed new homes, including affordable, as well as a new school, health centre, complementary commercial uses and green spaces. L&Q is currently on site delivering Phase 1 of the scheme, through our in-house construction arm. This first phase consists of 246 new homes, 100% affordable.

We know social housing is a vital part of our country's infrastructure, and more social homes are desperately needed across the country. We wanted to explain, particularly to our residents, how their rent allows us to be able to plan our investments much more efficiently and deliver much needed new homes. That’s why we got together with our Chief Exec, Fiona Fletcher Smith, to address some of the most common myths about housing association finances. 👇

To mark #WorldHomelessDay we want to share the story of Stella, an L&Q resident who has experienced homelessness first hand. Back in 2005, Stella had a successful job working in the performing arts space in Poland as a well-known set director, but when they came out as trans, their whole life turned upside down. "I resorted to skip and bin diving to find food to survive," recounted 58-year-old Stella Baker. Stella shared their harrowing journey from homelessness to hope after facing discrimination as a trans person. "I found myself enduring sub-zero temperatures on the streets in southern Poland for about a month. I had to leave otherwise I’d have died there.” You can read Stella's full story here: https://lnkd.in/eQCFE2TA According to Crisis, people become homeless for lots of different reasons. Life events like a relationship breaking down, losing a job, mental or physical health problems, or substance misuse put people under considerable strain. On any given night, tens of thousands of families and individuals are experiencing the worst forms of homelessness across the UK. This includes more than 320,000 in England alone. If you are concerned about yourself or someone you know bring at risk of becoming homeless, visit Crisis to access help available to you: https://lnkd.in/eGwa2rK

To mark #NationalCustomerServiceWeek we've launched our zero tolerance campaign against abusive behaviour. Inspired by the Institute of Customer Service “Service with Respect” campaign, our initiative is entitled “I’m here to help, please treat me with respect.” No one should face physical or verbal abuse for doing their job. We all have the right to work in an environment where we feel safe. Our colleagues sometimes encounter unacceptable behaviour or abuse from a very small minority of residents or members of the public. While this isn’t reflective of the vast majority of the people and communities, it’s important to get the message out that we do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour of any kind. We’re committed to working together with our residents to keep communities and the colleagues who serve them safe.

We are delighted to announce that Nicola Evans ACFS has been named in Housing Today's Top 30 Housing Champions - congratulations Nicola! Read the full list below: https://lnkd.in/e3b7SYEh

We’re delighted to support Barking Riverside Limited’s planning application, which has the potential to grow this community to up to 20,000 homes. Our partnership with the Greater London Authority is delivering one of East London’s most exciting emerging neighbourhoods.   Fiona Fletcher Smith, Chief Executive Officer at L&Q, said:   “The UK is in the grips of a housing and affordability crisis, which is getting worse. That has to change, and projects like Barking Riverside are part of the solution. This growing neighbourhood is delivering well-designed affordable homes and community infrastructure at scale. It is also a mission to create social and economic benefits, reduce inequality, and enable people to live better lives.”   “We believe Barking Riverside could be a blueprint for brownfield development across the country. None of this would be possible without partnerships, from L&Q and the Mayor of London to the many others contributing to the success of this place. Delivering the proposed new homes and infrastructure will be a wonderful next step at this exciting new neighbourhood.”  

Britain is grappling with two crises – a severe housing shortage and the pressing need to cut carbon emissions. As a housing association, we stand at the crossroads of these challenges. We must deliver new homes to meet rising demand while staying true to our sustainability targets. The question we face is clear: how can we address the housing crisis without exacerbating the climate crisis? Our CEO Fiona Fletcher Smith explores this dilemma in her latest Housing Today column: https://lnkd.in/eQy76K8D

This week for our #SiteUpdateFriday we want to introduce everyone to London's newest tall building. Standing at 235.2ft tall, or 22 storeys, Peakes Heights (block e) is the first tower block to be topped out at Greenwich Peninsula. Residents are set to move into their new homes in 2026 and the first homes to become available will be shared ownership. Fit out has started on the first 6 floors and the façade is completed to level 13. This is the most complex scheme our in-house construction team have undertaken to date. With works started in 2023, this development will deliver 476 new homes in total, 70% of which will be affordable. It will also boast 3,000 sqm of playspace, amenity space and significant landscape and streetscape improvements to what is currently a brownfield site.

As UK Construction Week is in full swing in Birmingham, we are taking a minute to celebrate our seven leading ladies in construction, who are featured in teh Hall of Fame Exhibition at the event! Eleny Talida Cimpeanu Lauren Bedford Iesha Smith Jacqueline Esimaje-Heath Leanne O'Donovan MCIOB Roz Hodgkinson-Williams

We're excited to share our latest sustainability report! At L&Q, we’re making strides in sustainability across environmental, social, and governance areas. We’ve partnered with Altair Ltd to set a clear path towards net zero, measuring our carbon footprint and setting science-based targets. While there’s more to do, we’re making meaningful progress with initiatives like transitioning to electric vehicles. Through our Major Works Investment Programme, we’ve upgraded 1,740 windows, 1,341 doors, and 2,480 boilers, raising the energy efficiency of our homes above our target with an average SAP score of 72.37. Our work doesn’t stop here—there’s more to come as we continue to invest in making homes safer, greener, and more comfortable for our residents. Sustainability is about more than just the environment. Through the L&Q Foundation, we’ve helped over 420 residents keep their tenancies, supported nearly 2,750 residents with financial guidance, and contributed £1.28 million to local community organisations. We’re proud to have created over £23 million in social value while offering jobs and apprenticeships as part of our wider commitment to positive social impact. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eQHKkMwQ