Case studies
Babergh & Mid Suffolk Housing Site Transformation: Elevating Resident Services with Digital Place Low-Code CMS
The challenge
For local authorities like B&MS, housing services represent some of the most intricate and high-stakes interactions with citizens, spanning everything from housing applications and rent management to emergency repairs and homelessness support. Prior to this project, the digital delivery of these services was fragmented, making it difficult for residents to quickly find the specific information or forms they needed. The lack of a unified, intuitive interface meant routine inquiries—such as understanding eligibility for social housing, managing rent payments, or initiating a repair request—were frequently deflected to contact centre staff. This operational inefficiency residents who required simple, accessible digital pathways for their essential housing needs. B&MS recognised the urgent need for a solution that could centralise complex housing information, standardise service requests, and empower internal teams with an agile content management tool.
Our goal was to transform the housing resident experience from a maze of information into a clear, direct service portal. By utilising the Digital Place low-code CMS, we were able to quickly implement a design that is not only visually appealing but fundamentally more functional, making it simpler for our community to access the vital housing support they need.
The solution
B&MS selected Placecube's Digital Place platform to consolidate its public-facing housing content and transactional services into a cohesive digital experience. The project was specifically focused on maximising the capabilities of the platform's low-code Content Management System (CMS) to elevate the user experience (UX) and ensure content governance.
The solution strategy involved:
- Low-Code CMS for UX Elevation: The low-code CMS provided B&MS content editors with the ability to rapidly design and deploy intuitive, accessible content pages without relying heavily on IT development cycles. This ensured the published information, such as the comprehensive Tenant Handbook and Financial Assistance advice, was always up-to-date and easy to navigate.
- Integrated Digital Services (DXP & LCAP): Leveraging the Digital Experience Platform (DXP) and Low-Code Application Platform (LCAP), B&MS integrated essential transaction tools directly into the housing site. This included developing the Housing Tenant Portal and providing direct digital pathways for essential transactions like managing and paying rent using mobile and online options.
- Case Management for Complex Workflows (CM): The Case Management (CM) tool was utilised to structure complex application workflows, such as those related to Gateway to Homechoice for council/social housing applications and specific procedures for requesting routine or emergency repairs. CM ensured that submissions were automatically routed correctly, reducing administrative lag and improving process transparency.
- Specialised Resource Hubs: The platform enabled the creation of dedicated sections for specialised services, including information on sheltered housing for vulnerable residents and detailed support for those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
This comprehensive low-code approach allowed B&MS to rapidly build a robust, scalable housing portal focused entirely on improving the resident journey.
The results
The new Housing Site delivered significant improvements in resident self-service, operational efficiency, and information accessibility. By providing clear, structured pathways for key services, B&MS have successfully diverted many routine queries from the contact centre, reducing operational costs.
Key benefits achieved include:
- Increased Digital Self-Service: Tenants are now empowered to perform essential tasks online, such as managing garage tenancies, paying rent, and requesting repairs, drastically lowering administrative burden.
- Streamlined Complex Applications: The integration of the CM tool simplified the application process for council and social housing via the Gateway to Homechoice system, making complex statutory processes easier for citizens to complete.
- Enhanced Information Accessibility: The intuitive, responsive design built with the low-code CMS ensures that crucial information—like home safety guidelines and procedures for reporting anti-social behaviour—is immediately available across all devices.
- Content Agility: Staff now have enhanced control over content publishing through the CMS, allowing for faster response times in updating critical policy or support information.
Everyone at Placecube has been really impressed with the work carried out on this project, almost exclusively by the team at Babergh & Mid Suffolk. This has been a real testament to Digital Place’s usability, low-code tool set and how the client team have embraced the support and training provided
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