Low Demand & Demolition
TWENTY ESTATES TURNED AROUND IN 25 YEARS - Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Twenty formerly rundown, council estates have been transformed over the past 25 years, according to a report covering estates in London, Midlands, North East and North West, by the London School of Economics for Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Twenty-five years on twenty estates: Turning the tide? is the largest research project of its kind, tracking progress on the estates since 1980. It examines the key changes and what lies behind them, from national policy to community activity. It also captures the impact of the recent strong economy and housing market on the estates.
Report author, Rebecca Tunstall, said: "Most of the estates have turned from a vicious circle of deprivation and stigma to a virtuous circle of improved popularity and easier management."
Staff and residents of over three-quarters of the estates felt improvements had taken place over the past decade, adding to positive changes in the 80s and early 90s. In the past decade, unemployment rates dropped from 34% in '91 to 16% in '01. Housing management performance improved, with fewer empty homes, better repairs services and better-kept environments.
Most estates received several rounds of central Government regeneration funding and council investment. Most councils provided intensive housing and neighbourhood management for much of the period, to help maintain conditions. Resident involvement in improvement decisions and community activities were important in all of the estates.
In '80, all the homes were council-owned. Tenure diversification meant that social housing made up an average of 81% of homes by 2005, with other housing owned by residents or private landlords. Estate management also shifted away from councils and 13 of the estates were managed by H.A.s or ALMOs by 2005.
Although most of these estates have been transformed, major policy challenges remain for these estates and housing and regeneration as a whole. The gaps between these estates and other social housing may have reduced, but they have not disappeared.
Lord Richard Best, Director of JRF, said: "This report shows that even problematic estates can be improved and become popular, which suggests caution in criticising council housing and recommending demolition. Ministers are already becoming interested in devolution of management to neighbourhood level and a more localised approach. They also need to balance the funding for both physical and social regeneration to ensure that the positive changes seen on many of these estates can be sustained and delivered elsewhere."
For more details please go to:
https://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/details.asp?pubID=840
Choice, Demand and Demolition
A power point presentation by John Earnshaw on the subject of demolition
Government Publishes Response to Select Committee Empty Homes Inquiry - PDF - The Government has published its response to the Select Committee report on empty homes and the housing market renewal pathfinders. It has revealed that it is prepared to consider the case for large scale compulsory purchase costs beyond the three year spending cycle in the pathfinder areas.
Reeling in the Wrecking Balls - Regeneration & Renewal - 22nd September 2006
Do the communities secretary's recent intervention in demolition in plans of areas of failing housing mark a government policy switch? Brian Baker
Homes campaigners sign up a champion - 24th October 2006 - Liverpool Echo
RESIDENTS hoping to save their homes from demolition have recruited a heavyweight help to join their fight.
Around 40 families in the Granby Triangle area have been blocking council plans for compulsory purchase orders of their homes in Ducie, Jermyn, Cairns and Beaconsfield streets.
Kelly forces U-turn on derelict homes - 21st June 2006 - Telegraph
Mayor Richard Daley's Speech on Community Anchors! - ODPM February 2005
Tough Calls - 2 December 2005 - Inside Housing
Time for a Change - 25 November 2005 - Inside Housing
Feature articles of the month from Manchester Evening News, 29th July - 6th September 2005:
Family fury over eviction on the cheap
Brothers evicted after last stand
Families final bid to save their homes
More homes to go after eviction
Market renewal homes sent back to the drawing board - 18th August 2005
Planning Resource - Low demand areas show house price rises - 28th July 2005
Telegraph - Prescott in retreat over demolition of 400,000 old homes - 20th July 2005
Telegraph - Time runs out for Ringo's Liverpool Home
Telegraph - Bulldozers Move In On Liverpool - 16th June 2005
Salford Advertiser - The Lone Widow Of A Ghost Town Road - 27th May 2005
Telegraph - Has John Prescott Got His Sums Right? - 16th May 2005
Telegraph - Conservation chief challenges Prescott on terrace housing - 18th April 2005
We're very popular in the Telegraph at the mo':
Article 1 - Prescott's bulldozers ready to demolish Victorian terraces
Article 2 - Prescott urged to save old terraces
Article 3 - Demolition is a waste of money, says expert
Housing Today 9th February 2005 - Low Demand and Market Renewal Pathfinders - Yorkshire Housing Today
9th February 2005 - Low Demand and Market Renewal Pathfinders - Newstart Magazine
8th February 2005 - See what the Telegraph has to say about empty homes Preventative Medicine For Urban Decline - RICS - 27th January 2005
North-east reels under growing demand for homes - Housing Today - 7th January 2005
Terraced Houses - Renovation or Demolition - Standing Stone - Housing experts ask for a fresh approach in the way we deal with the terraced houses
Social Housing - To Be Or Not To Be? - 25th October 2004 - John Earnshaw
CIH New Homes, Better Future Conference - Powerpoint Presentation - Bournemouth September 8th 2004
TPAS - How to Market your Empty Homes and Low Demand Properties - 7th August 2004
On the up: the housing crisis in the north - Shelter Article - December 2004
Restoration Tragedy - 19th November 2004 - Housing Today
Save Our Streets - Richard Girling - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2772-1251519,00.html
North-east growing pains - Housing Today - 27th August 2004
New Horizons Research Programme - Impact Evaluation of the Selected Demolition of Housing - The research was a case study evaluation of the impact of selected demolition of housing. It was a qualitative study, which from which a number of key themes have emanated. These themes are presented in the report alongside a narrative account of the way in which demolition has impacted on communities living in the selected case study areas.
The Young Foundation's report on 'Transforming Neighbourhoods'
Low Demand and Abandoned Housing In The North
Insights Into Low Demand Housing - Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Urban Regeneration company Addresses
Market Renewal Pathfinder Chief Executives - Contact Details
CIH Policy Platform Powerpoint Presentation - 17th June 2004
ODPM Publication - Housing Signpost - Empty Homes Agency - Empty Properties (3rd item)
ODPM Publication - Home Information Pack in Low Demand Low Value Areas - A Consultation Paper
Housing Corporation Sector Study 13: Characteristics of low demand housing association housing