We understand that areas that have strong social capital generate stable and socially healthy communities which generate greater opportunities for employment, investment and growth. Having flexible housing stock and mixed tenure types is an essential ingredient to maintaining strong social capital and sustainable affordable housing.

Economically we put people and community at the centre of our development planning and decision making.

We aim to demonstrate and make people aware of the needs and benefits of having affordable located in prime locations within our cities and towns. This includes high housing cost areas that are well located to transport, schools, shopping, hospitals, employment, etc.  If we can’t assure affordable housing in these locations then as a community we risk not having key workers willing to work in areas where the housing costs are high which will diminish the liveability of these locations within our cities. We use best value approaches in the planning and delivery of our services, including:

• Our considered method of revenue raising through leasing and management fee structures,
• Planning for future impacts from a tax on carbon or emissions,
• The prudent manner in which we invest and use our equity to leverage new funds.
• Determine the preferred options for addressing affordable housing needs in the short and longer term
• Contribute to educating the private market about affordable housing supply.

Environmentally we recognise the need for more sustainable housing. This is an increasingly important aspect of BlueCHP commitment to environmental sustainability and energy efficiency and is reflected in our developments.  BlueCHP is conscious of the need to reduce the carbon utilisation, emissions and reduce the effects of climate change by aiming to acquire, design and develop housing that:

• Improves the water and energy efficiency of its housing.
• Maximises the thermal comfort by passive methods (design, orientation, sun shading, etc)
• Minimises the household’s carbon imprint.
• Achieves a minimum 5-star energy equivalence rating
• Is digitally capable, enabling current and future technology uses that promote independence and enhanced liveability.

Socially by increasing access to affordable housing, we work towards integrated and sustainable communities that function in a way that benefits the whole community. Enabling key workers to live close to their support networks of family and friends provides them with the base from which to establish sense of belonging to place leading to the emotional attachments and memories that make the places where people live a home.

Affordable housing development needs to be designed to foster a broad range of community engagement opportunity which reflects accepted normative social constructs and those community expectations people associate with "home”. Understanding of the people living in local communities and delivering new housing that is flexible enough to meet their needs as they change over time is a key consideration for BlueCHP and our members in developing sustainable social capital.