Whitefriars Housing Group
Encyclopedia
Whitefriars Housing Group Ltd is a housing association
managing about 18,000 homes in Coventry
, England
. Constituted as a charitable industrial and provident society
, it is Coventry's largest social landlord.
In December 2008 it became part of the West Mercia Housing Group, based in Bromsgrove
, which includes Harden Housing Association, Kemble Housing and Nexus Housing, and manages homes across the West Midlands, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Whitefriars Housing Group was established in September 2000 to receive 20,200 properties from Coventry City Council's housing department in 2000, 481 of which were hostel units. When first created, it consisted of three companies: Whitefriars Services Ltd., Whitefriars Homes North Ltd., and Whitefriars Homes South Ltd. These were amalgamated into Whitefriars Housing Group Ltd in May 2006.
The name 'Whitefriars' (and also Greyfriars
) comes from a Coventry monastery founded in around 1342, and gradually expanded as charitable donations and funding became available. The 'friars' survived by providing shelter to the needy and passing travellers.
The group has demolished over 4,000 former council properties that were mostly vacant and beyond economical repair. This demolition included several blocks of Wimpey no-fines constructed flats
built in the 1950s in the Wood End
area, including rows of garages damaged or vandalised beyond repair. Some 8-storey flats constructed in the 1950s in the Hillfields
area and traditional but poorly maintained brick built houses in the Stoke Heath area of Valley Road, Meadway and Hillside have also been demolished.
In 2003, the first newly-built properties by the group were completed and opened in Tile Hill
. This was continued with the granting of planning permission for a further 31 units of bungalow
housing for elderly people in the city. The group is now working with their partners Wates
to provide 269 properties for rent and open market sale in Valley Road, Meadway and Hillside area.
Whitefriars is also involved in the New Deal for Communities
area (Wood End, Henley Green, Manor Farm and Deedmore Estates) where masterplan has been developed in conjunction with the residents. The development programme commenced in 2008 and will last 12–15 years with the construction of 2,500 houses for sale, 1,000 new homes for rent by Whitefriars and 150 homes for residents who will initially move out due to the regeneration. Whitefriars is working with Bovis Homes
who were appointed as preferred developer in September 2005.
As well as providing residential properties to the residents of Coventry, the Whitefriars Housing Group also has a training and development department which works with local unemployed people to teach them basic construction trade skills. Experienced self-employed people who are already working in the construction industry but want to become better qualified in their job can gain an NVQ
in brickwork, plastering or carpentry through a scheme run by Whitefriars Training and Development. Whitefriars also operates a construction maintenance department named HomeWorks which is based in the Willenhall
area of the city, which directly employs tradespeople including carpenters, plumbers, painters and electricians who repair properties managed by Whitefriars.
Whitefriars has put in place a 'Stardust' strategy, which aims to reward its employees with the use of a system based on voting for a winner in a stated category such as 'employee of the year', 'colleague of the year' or for 'changing peoples lives'. A Stardust conference is held during which the winners are called up onto a stage and recognised for their valued contribution and efforts. This scheme encourages staff performance.
Housing association
Housing associations in the United Kingdom are independent not-for-profit bodies that provide low-cost "social housing" for people in housing need. Any trading surplus is used to maintain existing homes and to help finance new ones...
managing about 18,000 homes in Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Constituted as a charitable industrial and provident society
Industrial and Provident Society
An industrial and provident society is a legal entity for a trading business or voluntary organisation in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and New Zealand...
, it is Coventry's largest social landlord.
In December 2008 it became part of the West Mercia Housing Group, based in Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, England. The town is about north east of Worcester and south west of Birmingham city centre. It had a population of 29,237 in 2001 with a small ethnic minority and is in Bromsgrove District.- History :Bromsgrove is first documented in the early 9th century...
, which includes Harden Housing Association, Kemble Housing and Nexus Housing, and manages homes across the West Midlands, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Whitefriars Housing Group was established in September 2000 to receive 20,200 properties from Coventry City Council's housing department in 2000, 481 of which were hostel units. When first created, it consisted of three companies: Whitefriars Services Ltd., Whitefriars Homes North Ltd., and Whitefriars Homes South Ltd. These were amalgamated into Whitefriars Housing Group Ltd in May 2006.
The name 'Whitefriars' (and also Greyfriars
Greyfriars
Greyfriars may refer to:* the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, in particular the Conventual Franciscans* Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, a church* Greyfriars Bobby, a renowned dog in Edinburgh* Greyfriars Kirkyard, a graveyard in Edinburgh...
) comes from a Coventry monastery founded in around 1342, and gradually expanded as charitable donations and funding became available. The 'friars' survived by providing shelter to the needy and passing travellers.
The group has demolished over 4,000 former council properties that were mostly vacant and beyond economical repair. This demolition included several blocks of Wimpey no-fines constructed flats
Wimpey no-fines house
The Wimpey No-fines House is a house design by the George Wimpey company and intended for mass-production of social housing for families. Designed under the Ministry of Works post-World War II Emergency Factory Made programme, they are now one of the most common building designs in Britain...
built in the 1950s in the Wood End
Wood End, Coventry
Wood End is an area in the north of the city of Coventry, England.Much of the housing stock was built in the 1950s and 60s. Many of the homes are owned by the Whitefriars Housing Group, a housing trust which took over the running and management of Coventry's council houses several years ago...
area, including rows of garages damaged or vandalised beyond repair. Some 8-storey flats constructed in the 1950s in the Hillfields
Hillfields
Hillfields is a suburb of Coventry in the West Midlands of England. It is situated north of Coventry city centre, and has undergone a series of name changes throughout its history which has seen it change from a village, to a remote suburb, to a large postwar redevelopment zone.- History...
area and traditional but poorly maintained brick built houses in the Stoke Heath area of Valley Road, Meadway and Hillside have also been demolished.
In 2003, the first newly-built properties by the group were completed and opened in Tile Hill
Tile Hill
Tile Hill is a suburb in the west of Coventry, West Midlands, England.It is mostly residential and partly industrial, with some common land and wooded areas....
. This was continued with the granting of planning permission for a further 31 units of bungalow
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
housing for elderly people in the city. The group is now working with their partners Wates
Wates Group
The Wates Group is one of the UK’s largest family-owned construction services and development companies.-History:Established by Edward Wates in 1897, the Company expanded into speculative housebuilding and general contracting in the 1920s and 1930s. During World War II it was involved in building...
to provide 269 properties for rent and open market sale in Valley Road, Meadway and Hillside area.
Whitefriars is also involved in the New Deal for Communities
New Deal for Communities
New Deal for Communities is a regeneration programme led by the government of the United Kingdom for some of the England's most deprived neighbourhoods...
area (Wood End, Henley Green, Manor Farm and Deedmore Estates) where masterplan has been developed in conjunction with the residents. The development programme commenced in 2008 and will last 12–15 years with the construction of 2,500 houses for sale, 1,000 new homes for rent by Whitefriars and 150 homes for residents who will initially move out due to the regeneration. Whitefriars is working with Bovis Homes
Bovis Homes Group
Bovis Homes Group plc is a second tier national British housebuilding company based in New Ash Green, Kent. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
who were appointed as preferred developer in September 2005.
As well as providing residential properties to the residents of Coventry, the Whitefriars Housing Group also has a training and development department which works with local unemployed people to teach them basic construction trade skills. Experienced self-employed people who are already working in the construction industry but want to become better qualified in their job can gain an NVQ
National Vocational Qualification
National Vocational Qualifications are work based awards in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that are achieved through assessment and training. In Scotland they are known as Scottish Vocational Qualification ....
in brickwork, plastering or carpentry through a scheme run by Whitefriars Training and Development. Whitefriars also operates a construction maintenance department named HomeWorks which is based in the Willenhall
Willenhall, Coventry
Willenhall is a suburb of Coventry in the West Midlands of England.Willenhall is in the south-east of the city adjacent to the suburbs of Binley, Ernesford Grange and Whitley...
area of the city, which directly employs tradespeople including carpenters, plumbers, painters and electricians who repair properties managed by Whitefriars.
Whitefriars has put in place a 'Stardust' strategy, which aims to reward its employees with the use of a system based on voting for a winner in a stated category such as 'employee of the year', 'colleague of the year' or for 'changing peoples lives'. A Stardust conference is held during which the winners are called up onto a stage and recognised for their valued contribution and efforts. This scheme encourages staff performance.