Blakeney Neighbourhood Housing Society (Blakeney)

Entry categories: Housing Associations | Charitable Organisations

BLAKENEY NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSING SOCIETY
A charity incorporated as an Industrial & Provident Society under the reference number R12945

Registered office: 99 High Street, Blakeney, Holt, Norfolk NR25 7PS

Not enough capital had been raised to pay off the bank overdraft and to finance continued improvements, so in 1950 the Society mortgaged its property to the Cooperative Permanent Building Society (now the Nationwide) for a loan of £2,500 (increased to £3,500 in 1952) to be repaid over 30 years at an initial interest rate of 4%.

The rate was later increased more than once. The loan was paid off - but only after a long struggle. The resulting reluctance to borrow is still felt today by some tenants and members.

By 1951 the BNHS had acquired 36 cottages - the most it was to have until quite recently. Whilst some grants were received from the District Council, the Pilgrim Trust and the National Corporation for the Care of Old People, in the main the Society had to depend on the rents from its tenants and the generosity of local supporters to carry out works and service the mortgage. They were not enough. So between 1953 and 1960 ten cottages were sold, one to the sitting tenant. Sales and conversions of two into one reduced the stock to 22, and this total remained unchanged until 1985.

In 1954 legislation freed charitable housing societies from all restrictions on rents. The Society took advantage of this to balance its budget after heavy expenditure on its continuing programme of improvements. A meeting of tenants was called to explain the increases. More than half of them came; this was the greatest interest most tenants ever showed in the Society's finances. Discussion was heated and there were accusations of mis-management. But the increases were eventually understood and accepted.

In 1979 fifteen of the Society's houses had been added to the official list of buildings of architectural and/or historical interest. The Wallace bequest of 10 cottages (1985) brought five more. The BNHS is honoured to be the custodian of so many listed buildings but this imposes additional obligations and constraints.

During 1989 the BNHS, in collaboration with the North Norfolk District Council and the parish councils, carried out a housing need survey in the six villages the Society aims to serve. This confirmed a continuing requirement for affordable rented homes. Approaches to North Norfolk District Council met with a positive response and this was taken as encouragement to continuing efforts. However, the Council failed to convince the Department of the Environment that it should channel funds to an association not registered with the Housing Corporation. This is the agency that allocates government subsidies (HAG grants). Without such grants the whole of any Council contributions would have to come out of local taxation.

An alternative to registration was for the BNHS to develop jointly with a registered housing association.

During 1989 the Society opened discussions with Broadland Housing Association. It is based in Norwich and was already active in North Norfolk. Like BNHS, Broadland has charitable status. Collaboration with Broadland did eventually lead to a significant step forward: the acquisition of the Society's first houses in Cley-next-the-Sea. The Society always intended to extend its activities to adjoining villages - that's the point of "Neighbourhood" in its title. Cottages were acquired in Wiveton in the early years but there had been no opportunity to extend this to the other villages.

In 1990 the Society launched its biggest appeal for funds since 1956. The appeal raised £85,000 in two years - a creditable total but less than half what was needed. So the BNHS and Broadland went into partnership. BNHS owns the freehold of the four cottages; a 125 year lease to Broadland enabled them to attract the government grant; the occupiers are Broadland tenants but the BNHS is responsible for local management. So in 1992 four cottages were let to local people and these cottages have been clawed back from holiday use and restored to the community.

In the event the money we raised was not needed for Durrants Row. By a stroke of luck, two other cottages in Cley village came on the market at this time. They were in poor condition and one had a sitting tenant, so the price could be paid out of the results of the appeal. In 1999 another appeal was launched for £50,000. The target was reached which, together with a very generous anonymous donation, enabled us to buy two former Council houses.

The total number of properties today stands at 42 cottages in management. We control more than one third of the social housing in Blakeney.

The waiting list, which is open to people born and brought up in Cley, Morston, Langham and Salthouse, as well as in Blakeney and Wiveton, is currently just under twenty, and some of these applicants are in urgent housing need.

BNHS has served two generations of local people. With the continued support of the community and visitors, it is ready to serve future generations equally well.

Donations received go into the Society's Development Fund which is used solely to buy more properties to rent to local families or to increase accommodation in existing cottages. All administrative and maintenance costs are covered by the rents