Dee Park Regeneration

Dee Park Community Residents Action Group [CRAG] was working with developers and the local authority to deliver regeneration of their estate. With help from The Glass-House, residents evaluated two separate bids from the private developers and made their voice heard by the council.

Dee Park is typical of the housing estates built in the 1960s, poor quality housing blocks confusingly arranged across large areas of underused green space. More traditional semi detached homes are scattered within the maze of alleyways and neglected communal spaces. About 50% of the houses on the estate are Council properties including almost all flats in the concrete blocks. Several flats were demolished some time ago due to their poor condition, and condensation problems. All 1000 housing units on the estate are council properties, some of which are starting to be demolished.

In 2001, residents of the estate were invited to a "Have your say day", organised by the local authority, to investigate ways of regenerating the area.

The aim of masterplanning the area was to create a more logical road network and improve the standard of housing whilst also increasing the density. Following this, the local authority commissioned a study from outside consultants based upon which the residents voted for major regeneration.

At this time the Dee Park Community Regeneration Action Group was loosely formed to meet occasionally with the local authority. During 2004, the local authority decided to use a "competitive dialogue" process to appoint a preferred developer and shortly thereafter, Dee Park CRAG was formally constituted. The group has a very active committee of 20, and meets every month with the wider community to discuss progress. They are now down to 2 consortia that are bidding for the regeneration work. Both submitted interim and final design proposals that were evaluated with the help of The Glass-House. It is hoped that development partners will be appointed by the early 2007.

The group attended all Glass-House courses run at Trafford Hall and are therefore skilled and articulate within the regeneration sector. However faced with two masterplans to evaluate, the group called upon The Glass-House for further support.

The group needed an independent expert appraisal of two regeneration bids proposed for their estate. The residents could only make their formal decision to the Council once they fully understood the implications for each proposal.

The appointment of a ‘Go-Between’ helped the group identify the good, and more importantly, the bad design aspects of both bidders’ masterplans. They were then able to return to the bidders with concerns, ideas, and comments.

The CRAG Committee met monthly with the whole community. This sharing of information encouraged feedback from residents, which was then passed back to both bidders.

The group shared a report from the Go-Between with the wider community. This helped greatly in explaining to residents many of the design aspects of both schemes. The findings were discussed at an open meeting with residents, which was also used to engage those residents involved with particular requirements e.g. the youth, elderly and disabled.

Many residents were previously very wary of the idea of ‘regeneration’. They can now see many of the proposed benefits for the whole community. Equally, they are pleased that design experts have highlighted areas of concern - several of which had been pointed out by residents.

Residents have been able to comment constructively on proposals that will directly affect them.

Fear and assumptions about the proposals were demystified by involving informed residents in a positive dialogue with the professionals.

We cannot fault the support form the Glass-House. The courses were superb, turning ordinary people into an effective group with knowledge and something to offer. We are well respected by both the developers and our local authority. It might be useful for us to have further courses dealing with the planning stages and onwards planning procedures, dealing with developers on site, and the functions of community management boards.

Neighbourhoods

Public, private and voluntary group working relationships
1960's Radburn estate layout
Estate has a very poor reputation within the town
Competitive dialogue process

Go-Between
Skilling
Empowerment

Residents have been able to comment constructively on proposals that will directly affect them.

Fear and assumptions about the proposals were demystified by involving informed residents in a positive dialogue with the professionals.

All Design Training

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