Hyde makes things better

With over 43,000 homes in the South and the Midlands, The Hyde Group is a major player in the social housing sector. With so much under its belt, it’s an organisation with many a story to tell

Hyde Martlet, based in Chichester, is putting its latest crop of gas apprentices through their N VQs and it is looking to recruit a further four in June. The four apprentices – Chris Irons, 20; Nathan Conway, 23; Sarah Sturgeon, 23; and Will Morgan, 22 – have won praise from their boss for their efforts in passing NVQ level 2 and stepping on to the next level.

“I personally am very proud of the efforts all of them put in and they show a Hyde Martlet determination to do well and please our residents,” said managing director Paul Featherstone. “Always ready to learn more, they are polite to residents and tremendous adverts for young people to be given a chance as apprentices within our industry.”

When it comes to providing new affordable homes, the Hampshire Alliance for Rural Affordable Housing has recently completed a scheme at Dodds Lane, Swanmore. The successful project is the result of an innovative partnership between the six rural local authorities in Hampshire and Hyde Martlet, which has resulted in the completion of 10 family-sized homes and four onebedroom flats, all with ‘very good’ EcoHomes rating.

The Hyde Group has also developed five family-sized green homes at Cedar Close in Chichester which will bring lower fuel bills for the residents. The development makes use of exhaust air heat pumps, which ‘recycle’ waste heat. Other measures, such as under floor heating, a green roof, and rainwater management systems mean that the homes meet Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.

“The Cedar Close development is an excellent example of how social housing can act as a standard bearer for other types of housing to follow,” said A ustin W ade, the Group’s rural development officer.

In Burgess Hill, a joint venture between Hyde Group and Keyhole Security is making life easier for the elderly residents of the supported housing development, Prescott House (pictured).

Many of them are frail, making conventional mechanical lock access difficult for them. Because of that, many of them would leave their front doors propped open when they left their homes. However, the joint venture has dispended with keys, replacing the locks with the ASSA Smartair system. This is effectively an electronic lock, where the residents simply wave their key card by a reader on the front door to unlock it.

“The new system is much easier,” said resident Betty Alford, 83. I used to struggle with the key lock, but the card is much easier to use. I can carry the card in my pocket, which makes me feel safer in my home. All my friends are happy with the cards and I have no complaints.”

In South London, The Hyde Group has been awarded funding of £136,000 by the Technology Strategy Board’s ‘Retrofit for the Future’ competition to retrofit a property in Eltham. This follows on from its first ‘Retrofit and Replicate’ project in Mottingham, also in South London, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 80 per cent.

The latest projects sees the same key partners – Hyde, ECD Architects and Mears Limited – come together to apply what they have learned to the new challenge of retrofitting a home in a conservation area.

“We’re pleased to have been selected by the Technology Strategy Board to develop this project and implement innovative home energy efficiency solutions that significantly reduce CO2 emissions and save money on fuel bills, said Simon Chatfield, Hyde’s director of major developments.

“Hyde has put itself at the forefront of environmental sustainability and its retrofit and replicate work over the next few years will bring benefits both to its own residents and the broader environment.”