Welcome to the latest news concerning RENEW North Staffordshire in the Knutton, Lower Milehouse and Cross Heath Area of Major Intervention (AMI)

AREA IMPROVING? HAVE YOUR SAY! (APRIL 2010)

Since 2004, a range of projects have been undertaken by RENEW within the Knutton and Cross Heath Area of Major Intervention (AMI). The intention has been to use these schemes to blend the existing residential with the new investment being targeted in the area. The long term aim is to create better housing choice by encouraging new house building with increased housing choice in terms of tenure.

Between 2007 and 2010 RENEW have invested over £6.5 million in transforming housing markets within the Knutton and Cross Heath AMI. This has been complemented by investment by both public and private sector investment. Achievements of the programme within the Knutton and Cross Heath AMI include:-

• developed strategies for transforming housing markets based on a range of research, including the Masterplan for Knutton and Cross Heath AMI. This creates a vision for future change and focus on delivering neighbourhood place;
• consulted communities to obtain their views on how they would like to see their areas develop through various means including one-off consultation events;
• working with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to bring forward key sites for future development, enabling access to a wider choice;
• supported a wide range of projects to manage neighbourhoods and improve the quality of life for residents;
• created strong partnerships between local authorities and other agencies to develop and implement plans;
• liaised with the providers of all the other services which contribute to the creation of sustainable communities including housing associations, other regeneration agencies, education authorities, the police, and private sector developers.

To find out what residents think, every household in the AMI has been invited to complete a questionnaire about what it is like to live in the area after the improvements have taken place.

The questionnaire is attached to the back of the last New Beginnings newsletter No 18 (click Documents Tab) and should be detached, completed and returned it to the Editor before the end of April 2010.

AREA GIVEN A £7.5M KICK-START (JANUARY 2010)

Above: Architectual Drawing of propsals for the first phase of the development of the Collins and Aikman site at Lower Milehouse Lane, Cross Heath.

In October 2009 it has been announced that Kier Ventures’ planned development of the site of the former GEC Factory (demolished in 2004) off Lower Milehouse Lane (the Collins & Aikman Site) has been given a multi-million pound cash boost. This followed their successful bid to the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA)’s Kickstart Programme, designed to stimulate stalled new housing projects around the country following the economic downturn, to create jobs and ensure enough homes are built during the recession.

More good news followed in November 2009 when Newcastle Borough gave planning permission for Kier to build 80 new homes, as part of the first phase of the development of the site, with 72 affordable to be owned by Aspire Housing. 32 of these will be intended for shared ownership, with the Borough agreeing to buy equity shares in the new units from its housing capital programme if they are not sold quickly. This would allow allowing Aspire to rent them out to suitable applicants to avoid any void properties. With planning permission now granted, work is expected to begin by March 2010, taking about a year to complete. Phase 2 will provide a further 130 homes, mainly for outright sale. All homes will be built to Eco Homes “Very Good” standard.

In Phase 1, the housing properties for rent and shared ownership will include:-
22 x 2 bedroom bungalows
15 x 2 bedroom houses
21 x 3 bedroom houses
14 x 4 bedroom houses

Mark Roe, the Senior Development Manager at Aspire Housing was excited to publically announce the plans. All homes to be rented will be accessed through the nominations agreement with Newcastle Borough Council.

Shared ownership is available directly from Aspire Housing with indicative costs from:
£125,000 for a bungalow
£110,000 for a 2 bedroom house
£120,000 for a 3 bedroom house
£162,500 for a 4 bedroom house

Mark added that if people would like to register an interest in the shared ownership homes then please contact Parwin Khaliq on 01782 635200.

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