In 2004 North Staffordshire was named as one of nine areas in England to receive government funding to create a stronger, more stable housing market for the region.

Knutton and Cross Heath was identified as an ‘Area of Major Intervention’ (AMI), and over the past year partnerships have been formed, local residents consulted and a number of projects started.

The information on this page is divided into questions and answers for easy viewing.

Either click on the question below to take you directly to the answer or use the scroll bar on the right hand side of the page to read all.

Q.1 What is Housing Market Renewal?

Q.2 Why do we need it?

Q.3 What is RENEW North Staffordshire?

Q.4 What does RENEW North Staffordshire mean for Knutton and Cross Heath?

Q.5 What is an Area of Major Intervention (AMI)?

Q.6 How much money will be spent?

Q.7 What is going on in the Knutton and Cross Heath AMI during 2006-8?

Q.8 What happens next?

Q.1 What is Housing Market Renewal?

A. Housing Market Renewal is a programme of government investment, that aims to create a better future for people living in areas where house prices are falling and people are moving away. North Staffordshire is one of nine areas in England chosen to receive funding. It is aimed at tackling the long-term causes of low demand for housing by improving the condition of properties, offering a better choice of housing, improving the environment, increasing prosperity, and tackling crime and anti-social behaviour to create sustainable communities.

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Q.2 Why do we need it?

A. North Staffordshire is facing difficult times. Many local people are living in areas that are becoming unpopular, with homes standing empty and vandalised. Some homes – including privately owned houses – are not up to modern standards. More and more are being abandoned, people are moving away from some neighbourhoods and house prices are low in some parts of Newcastle and Stoke-on-Trent, compared to the rest of North Staffordshire and the West Midlands. If this pattern continues the long term sustainability of affected communities will be in question. Some areas become unpopular because they do not provide a decent choice of housing, nearby industry has closed down and because services such as shops or health facilities or bus services are not as good as elsewhere.

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Q.3 What is RENEW North Staffordshire?

A. RENEW North Staffordshire’s full title is the North Staffordshire Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder. It is one of nine Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder schemes in England. Funded by the Department of Communities and Local Government, the schemes aim to create a better future for communities hit by low demand for property and poor quality housing.

Improving housing will have a positive effect on the whole area, boosting the local economy by building confidence, making residents want to stay in the area and attracting new people to the region.

It is a partnership of local organisations working to improve housing conditions in parts of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent and Biddulph. Millions of pounds will be invested over the coming years. With the aim to create communities where people want to live, not leave, and to increase property values. This is closely linked to further improving health, education, employment and other issues concerning residents living within the RENEW North Staffordshire area.

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Q.4 What does RENEW North Staffordshire mean for Knutton and Cross Heath?

A. The long term aim is to create better housing choice by reducing the number of housing association properties and encouraging new house building. It will become easier to get around by foot and car, access to open space will be improved and local shops and services will be supported. In Cross Heath it will become easier to get to Newcastle Town Centre, while in Knutton a “village” feel will be created by supporting the High Street and improving access to the countryside.

Work in the first two years has concentrated on surveys to identify where improvements are needed, buying land for future new housing, environmental improvements and working with the community on longer-term changes.

The vision for Cross Heath is;

“To establish Cross Heath as a sustainable community, with access to local services and well connected to Newcastle Town Centre”

Key objectives for the area are;

• To reduce the overall number of registered social landlord homes
• To create sites for potential mixed tenure residential developments
• To improve access to, and the quality of, open spaces
• To encourage movement and reduce perceptions of isolation
• To increase housing choice in terms of type and tenure

The vision for Knutton is;

“To re-image Knutton as a village, to create a more balanced community”

Key objectives for the area are;

• To reduce the number of homes rented from registered social landlords
• To encourage partnership work
• To improve the High Street, providing community service and small scale retail for local people
• To improve access to, and quality of, open space
• To improve the relationship with the countryside
• To increase housing choice in terms of type and tenure

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Q.5 What is an Area of Major Intervention (AMI)?

A. An AMI is a neighbourhood where considerable long term investment will be targeted by the RENEW North Staffordshire programme.

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Q.6 How much money will be spent?

A. RENEW North Staffordshire plans to invest £2.3 billion over 20 years throughout North Staffordshire. The programme has £67.5 million to invest across North Staffordshire for 2006-8.

In the Knutton and Cross Heath Area of Major Intervention (AMI), £3.4 million was allocated for 2004-6 and spent on undertaking research, masterplanning and environmental improvements in the neighbourhood.

In the Knutton and Cross Heath Area of Major Intervention (AMI), £6.6 million has been secured for 2006-8.

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Q.7 What is going on in the Knutton and Cross Heath AMI during 2006-8?

A. Redevelopment of a number of sites will commence alongside community masterplanning events and further environmental improvements. More information is available from the ‘Updated Masterplan’ section of this website.

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Q.8 What happens next?

A. RENEW North Staffordshire will be applying to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) next summer for funding to continue their programme of activity between 2008-10. The submission for funding will use evidence and information gathered during the first two years of the programme to make the case for continued investment in communities across the RENEW North Staffordshire area.

The programme in Knutton and Cross Heath is expected to last for up to fifteen years, and throughout this time residents will be consulted and kept informed so they can influence and shape the delivery.
Service providers will also be informed and engaged to help them to meet the changing needs and desires of residents.

Your views and input are vital to make this project a great success.