Second Phase of Six Estates Regeneration gets off the Drawing Board (June 2010) ECD Architects and PCKO Architects have completed a series of design workshops for residents held in in conjunction with Source Partnership for Alexandra National House and the Bridge House Garage Site which form the second phase of the Six Estates Regeneration. The schemes are now with Hackney Council for Planning Approval and consultation ends on 30 August 2010. A series of consultation events are planned to enable residents from the Six Estates to comment on the plans and register their interest in the new homes. Please check out events page for an event relevant to you. Planning Applications can be viewed at www.hackney.gov.uk/planning alternatively an extract of the plans can be provided to you if you contact either Carol Squires on 0800 616 328 or Tracy Nisbett at the Council on 020 8356 2762. Start on Site at Ottaway Court & Rendlesham House (March 2010) Following the granting of Planning Permission, the builders Osborne will be able to start on site at the former Ottaway Court and Rendlesham House sites on 25 March 2010. This achievement marks the start of the regeneration of the Six Estates and has been long-awaited by residents. The new housing will be ready for occupation in March 2011 and priority for the housing will be given to Six Estates residents 
Chair Of the Residents Steering Group George McGee along with meets with the Mayor of Hackney, Jules Pipe and Deputy Mayor, Karen Alcock to emphasise how importt this new housing will be to the people of Hackney. Happy New Year for the Six Estates in Hackney (January 2010) Hackney residents on two more of the Six Estates Project have a New Year's boost to their hopes of regeneration following the announcement that the Homes and Communities Agency have awarded further funding totalling £6.26m to Hackney Council under Round Two of the local authority new build initiative. This funding will enable 27 new council homes to built on the garage site at Bridge House and 67 new council homes to be built at Alexandra National House. These homes are in addition to the 74 homes proposed for Ottaway Court, Landfield Estate; and Rendlesham House Estate which will start on site in March. This second phase of homes will be built alongside intermediate housing and private sector for sale homes. A developer partner will be sought to enable building work to start on these sites as soon as possible and no later than early in 2011. Residents who have worked tirelessly to keep the regeneration intiative a priority with the Council are pleased that they now have secured funding for four of the Six Estates. They will continue to work in partnership with the Council to bring forward a strategy for the remaining two estates Marian Court and Tower Court. News Archive Funding secured for two of the Six Estates (October 2009) 115 new homes are on the way for Hackney residents on three housing estates, thanks to nearly £10m of Government funding. 74 of these homes will be built at the sites of Ottaway Court, Landfield Estate; and Rendlesham House Estate after the Hackney residents on three housing estates, thanks to nearly £10m of Government funding. The Homes and Communities Agency have awarded this to Hackney Council under the local authority new build initiative. Construction work is set to begin in March next year, with the new homes scheduled for completion by Spring 2011 and available to rent. Ottaway Court and the Rendlesham House Estate are already cleared, so no residents will have to move to allow development to proceed.
The funding ensures work can begin on these first blocks, while the Council is also working closely with residents and a developer consortium on progressing the regeneration of Alexandra National, Tower Court, Bridge House and Marion Court estates. The HCA funding is part of a new Government initiative allowing councils to build new homes for social rent for the first time in several decades.
Cllr Karen Alcock, Deputy Mayor of Hackney, said: “This is good news for residents, and demonstrates that despite the economic downturn, Hackney Council remains committed to the regeneration of the borough's estates and to providing 21st-century homes for local people.” George McGee, Chair of the Six Estates Steering Group, said: "Although residents welcome this funding for regeneration, residents will continue to push for a comprehensive solution for all Six Estates by working with the Council and its partners. We will not be satisfied until the remaining four estates have firm funding proposals." New Skills for People 1st in Slough (September 2009) Source Partnership is pleased to be working with People 1st (Slough) to develop and deliver a training programme for community activists to improve effectiveness of resident involvement and explore opportunities for activists to build their skills with a view to returning to the work place or access formal qualifications in the Housing field. Its hoped to develop this programme to become a foundation course for formal qualifications. The programme will be funded by People 1st (Slough) and the Apollo Group. It will be complemented with construction skills training. Participants will receive a certificate of completion and work with Source Partnership to develop personal development plans and CVs to improve their employment opportunities. For further details contact Carol Squires on 0800 616 328 or by e-mail to carol@sourcepartnership.com. A Fresh Approach for the Six Estates (August 2009) The Residents Steering Group has been working with the Southern Housing Group and Countryside Properties to redesign the proposals for the Estates. Three award winning Architectural Practices: Macreanor Lavington, Watkins Gray International and PCKO have been appointed to ensure that each scheme is unique whilst bringing consistent high quality design across all Six Estates. Intensive design workshops have been held during August involving regeneration officers, the planning service and residents. These designed schemes are to be submitted to the Homes and Communities Agency in late September / early October. As there are three cleared sites and a fourth likely to be clear by next March, there is the chance that there will be "bricks in the ground" by this time next year. If proposals are approved for funding from the Homes and Communities Agency, an extensive consultation programme will be undertaken to enable the wider communitty to have a real input into the detailed design, the programming of the building works and the remaining rehousing programme. Meanwhile, given the disappointments of the past, the Council is developing alternative proposals should the bid to the Homes and Communities Agency be unsuccessful. New Opportunities in Regeneration (April 2009) Source Partnership is working with local authorities, developers and RSL partners to maximise access to the funding announced in the Government's budget for social housing schemes to be allocated by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). By working closely with resident groups, there are unique opportunities to access funding to kick-start stalled development schemes as well as mainstream National Affordable Housing Programme funding. But prospective bidders for funding must move quickly as the Homes and Communities Agency wants to see schemes with Planning Permission by this September with early start on site to meet affordable homes targets. Roundshaw Community Board perfect their skills (December 2008) Source Partnership has recently started a training programme with resident board members of Roundshaw Community Board to perfect their skills. The Community Board was set up by Hyde Housing and Metropolitan Housing Trust in partnership with London Borough of Sutton to run Roundshaw Homes in Wallington Surrey. The sessions include: communications, running effective meetings, governance, finance, business planning, performance monitoring, managing conflict and decision-making skills; the programme forms part of the Community Board's mission to improve the quality of services and community life for the area. Tales on Moon Lane is Childrens' Bookseller winner! (October 2008) Tales on Moon Lane was judged the Bookseller Independent Childrens' Bookseller of the Year 2008 representing a major milestone for this unique business with an educational ethos. This coincides with the opening of the business's second store in Primrose Hill. Source Partnership has provided bid advice and support to this independent business since 2005. Brave New World for Tenant Empowerment (September 2008)From 1 October 2008, tenant empowerment gets more accessible, as the previous regualations are amended to include voluntary routes for tenant control and the inclusion of opportunities for housing association tenants. Source Partnership, along with other leading practitioners welcome the new guidance and the quality assurance measures which will be put in place to support tenants who wish to take control of how housing and related services are provided to them. The new guidelines are available at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20082361_en_1. If you want to explore these opportunities, please contact us on 0800 616 328 and we will come to your area to explain the process and help you to initiate discussions with your landlord and identify a Lead Advisor to assist you to access tenant empowerment grant. Credit Crunch leads to Regeneration Schemes Review (August 2008) The international "credit crunch" and its repercussions for the construction industry have inevitably had an effect upon the regeneration proposals which have been developed by many of our clients. This is because many of the financial assumptions were based upon high land values and readily available finance. Most proposals will need to be adjusted to deliver the schemes over a less ambitious timescale and quite possibly deliver social housing sooner within programmes. In addition, government and local authorities are looking for new proposals to support the construction industry and deliver new housing.If you wish to explore how the "credit crunch" will change your regeneration proposals,please contact us on 0800 616 328. Tenant Empowerment Programme Review (Summer 2008) Source Partnership's response to the Review of the Tenant Empowerment Programme. We welcome this review and will be working with our residents groups to respond fully to the proposals which are aimed at simplifying the Right to Manage Process and making the Programme more accessible to a wider range of tenants' groups. If you would like to see the proposals they are at www.communities.gov.uk Hazel Blears addresses ATIC London Conference (Spring 2008) On 27 February 2008, Source Partnership jointly hosted the ATIC (Agencies and Trainers for Involved Communities) London Conference with Solon Community Network in London . The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: The Right Honourable Hazel Blears gave a keynote speech at this event to salute the voluntary efforts of the tenant movement and encourage the tenants and Registered Social Landlords to grasp the new opportunities available for improving community empowerment. She spoke of the Government's commitment to community involvement at every level and assured the conference that there was support for tenant empowerment at the highest level. Over 120 residents, tenant participation practitioners and officers from local authorities, RSLs and service providers attended. The Conference also heard experiences of resident activists across the Capital with a range of residents doing different tenant empowerment projects with different agencies. If you would like to attend future events or obtain a copy of the Conference Report please contact Carol Squires on 0800 616 328 All change for Hackney's Regeneration Partners (Spring 2008) Following a review of progress in implementing the Estate Renewal and Estates Plus programmes, Hackney Council has opened discussions with reserve bidders. These fresh discussions were started early in February and every effort will be made to ensure that there are nminimal delays to the regeneration proposals. If you are a resident on any of the estates affected by the proposals please do not hesitate to contact us to find out what changes this means for the proposals for your homes. Once the new partners have finalised their poroposals, an extensive consultation prohgramme will be announced. Apollo Group to pilot Community Mapping Tool (January 2008)Source Partnership has provided a series of training events regarding community investment to this large construction group. The Community Investment Team and Resident Liaison Managers are keen to use the tool-kit being designed to assist in their work partnersing with local authorities on major housing and schools contracts. Source Partnership appointed to Hackney's ITLA framework (December 2007) We are pleased to advise that we have been selected as one of five leading regeneration and communications consultancies to form part of a framework contract for Independent tenants and Leaseholders Advisors within the Borough of Hackney. This will enable residents' groups to select an Advisor quickly when proposals for their estates require and enables the Council to ensure value for money and high qulaity advice services. Estates Plus RSL Partners selected (October 2007) Newlon Housing Trust have been selected to develop social housing on the under-used areas on housing estates in Hackney. Source Partnership has been working with residents in Shoreditch to advise on this initiative since April and the proposals will now be developed in time for submission to the Housing Corporation for inclusion in the National Affordable Housing Proagramme 2008-2011. In addition for one estate - St Leonard's Court in New North Road, N1 - Family Mosaic have been selected to develop far more radical proposals to include demolition of bed-sit blocks and refurbishment of the edwardian tenement style block to bring them up to Decent Homes Standard. These projects represent prime examples of how local authorities can work to faciltate additional social housing housing on small brownfield sites and improve the fabric of the surrounding housing and environment. Tales on Moon Lane - Highly Commended (September 2007) On 20 September 2007, Tales on Moon Lane received a Highly Commended status in the Bookseller Independent Childrens' Bookseller of the Year 2007. This coincides with the opening of the business's second store in Primrose Hill. Source Partnership has provided bid advice and support to this independent business since 2005. Kings Crescent Residents say YES! (August 2007) On 31 July 2007 the results of the Ballot for the transfer of management responsibilities to Kings Crescent Tenant Management Organisation were announced with both tenants and leasholders voting in favour of the proposals. The Ballot was conducted by the Electoral Reform Ballot Services. The TMO Board will now be negotiating the starting date of the management agreement, recruiting a TMO Co-ordinator and letting key contracts for estate cleaning and ground maintenance. This result marks the end of a protracted development period which has been affected by a failed stock transfer, changes in the Council's management arrangements and the selection of a development partner for the regeneration of sites cleared for redevelopment in 2001. Our congratulations to the Board Members and Council Officers who have stuck with this proposal through thick and thin! Kings Crescent TMO (July 2007) Kings Crescent TMO is subject to its THIRD ballot to enter into a management agreement to run estate cleaning and grounds maintenance services and repairs on their estate. Will residents vote YES for the third time? Watch this space - results due at the end of July Hackney Estates Plus (June 2007) Source Partnership is currently working as Independent and Leaseholders's Advisor on the Estates Plus Initiative in Hackney which is Tranche 2 of the Council's Estates Renewal Programme which looks at ways to enhance the Decent Homes programme and bring new social housing to the Borough. These projects are innovative and often present communities with some major issues. Our role is ensure that residents understand the proposals and are able to shape them through design consultation, selection of developer partners and a Residents Charter to provide a Development and Management framework for new-build and refurbishment projects Futures Appointed to Estates Renewal (May 2007) Metropolitan Housing Partnership, Community Housing Group and Durkan are the Developers Consortium selected for the estate renewal of the Six Estates Alexandra National House, Bridge House, Marian Court, Ottaway Court, Rendlesham House and Tower Court. This is a major milestone for these estates with which Source Partnership have been working since December 2004. Residents are looking forward to making progress towards the regeneration of these estates. |