Jewson Partnership Solutions (JPS) has launched a one-stop-shop building and maintenance hub for housing providers in Newcastle City Centre.
A first for JPS, the AVAIL Housing Hub brings together all the benefits of Jewson Partnership Solutions – including material supply, stock management technology, waste disposal and expert training – to tackle the many challenges of modern social housing, including changing legislation, health and safety, rising costs, and decarbonisation regulations.
Providers of social housing in the Newcastle area have access to the hub’s large external yard and warehouse which will benefit from JPS' automated replenishment technology to ensure levels of stock and out-of-hours availability .
A fleet of vehicles delivers products and materials either directly to operative or to AVAIL’s Smart Collection points located at convenient spots around the city. There is an on-site ‘drop and go’ waste offer, allowing users to save valuable time in the usual waste separation process.
Finally, the hub includes its own training academy, available to any AVAIL Housing Hub customer and their tenants, offering training on new product launches and construction processes. Courses are also available for 16-24 year olds looking to enter the job market, delivered in conjunction with charity YouthBuild.
The hub is located next to the Byker Estate in the centre of the city, which is one of the most deprived areas in England.
JPS has promised to reinvest a percentage of the profit made at the hub into the local community, working with the Greggs Foundation to provide schools in the area with free breakfasts.
JPS officially opened the doors to the hub last week at an event attended by a number of building materials suppliers, contractors and local housing associations. JPS plans to launch additional hubs later in the year in other major cities, with one set to open in Leeds in September.
Scott Cooper, Managing Director of JPS, said: “Housing associations are feeling more pressure than ever as they look to provide better social housing for less.
“From an all-time-high level of repairs and compliance requirements, to decarbonisation targets and a need to improve indoor air quality, social landlords are also doing what they can to raise the standards of their properties while the cost of materials continues to rise and labour becomes more scarce.
“The AVAIL Housing Hub is designed to make our customer’s lives easier in the face of these challenges. Operational efficiency is key to help landlords to identify ways of working that will save money, while guidance is also needed to help them choose the right products to deliver the homes of the future.
“We bring all of that under one roof, acting as a supply partner that truly understands their needs and that can help them deliver on their objectives.
“Our large facility can stock ample materials that can be segregated by customer, minimising the financial risk for landlords who’d normally need to manage their own stock levels on site.
“This, combined with an option to manage waste efficiently, comprehensive product delivery options and training and workshops delivered by our experts, will help Newcastle’s housing providers to improve the living standards of their tenants, whilst constructing and maintaining better homes and building a stronger future for the city’s communities.”
