Whyke Community Association

Whyke Estate Community Association was regenerating a large open space in the centre of their estate known as the Oval. They organised a design festival to get residents thinking about the open spaces on the estate and feed ideas to their architect.

The Whyke Estate, in the centre of Chichester, was built between the 1930s and the 1950s. There are about 250 homes on the estate, which consist mainly of two and three bedroom houses arranged along streets. There is a large central green known as the Oval, with houses and a couple of shops and take-aways facing onto it. A primary school and a secondary school are located very near the Oval, which fills up with kids, on their way home. Long-term under investment resulted in a lack of adequate facilities for young people and the wider community, and little management of the open spaces besides grass cutting. At the time, the local council owned the properties, but they were taken over by Martlet Housing, a Registered Social Landlord.

In 2000, a Priority Estates Project was initiated to address some of the problems on the estate including vandalism, youth crime, drug related problems and anti-social behaviour. An action plan was drawn up and resulted in the setting up of Whyke Estate Community Association in May 2001. From that point onwards the estate was designated a ‘Community Action Project’ involving the police and other agencies working with the local community to solve problems on the estate.

WECA hoped that once the masterplan was complete they could start to implement some of their ideas straight away, with money that they had already been awarded by The Seagull Trust. They hoped that it would be the first step in an ongoing process of involving the local residents in the future plans for the estate, and in looking at environmental improvements across the estate.

The group applied to the Glass-House to help them kick-start their action plan by getting residents more involved in the design process. The Glass-House helped with the launch of the masterplanning process at a ‘fun day’ in August 2004. They facilitate activities to encourage people to think about different kinds of activities and events that could take place on the Oval, and how the space could be improved to make it an attractive place used by everyone in the community. The group were pleased with the way Glass House and their architect were able to work together. “That’s the nice thing about Glass-House, they have a broader brush approach, a different way of looking at things. Luckily they complemented each other.”

In September 2001, the group organised a ‘Planning for Real’ event which generated a wish list of improvements that residents would like to see. Many of the recommendations focused on issues around the Oval, including more seating and planting, and more recreation and sports activities. There was also a lot of concern about traffic and how to manage it more safely. In response to this, WECA got Chester District Council to install a sports pitch on the green, which is very popular and always busy. They also decided that a more detailed, community-led masterplan was needed for the open spaces on the estate. Using funding from Martlet Housing, West Sussex District Council and Chester District Council, they appointed an architect to undertake a masterplan in consultation with the local community.

Gradually the group attracted a more serious interest in the estate from all the agencies. This increase in interest was reflected in the setting up of a ‘community action project’. The group showed the residents that it is worth making the effort - with each activity organised they found more people talking positively about what could be done to improve the problems people had experienced in the past.

Spaces

Redesign of public green space 

Raising the expectations of residents

Outdoor planning event

Money awarded by the Seagull Trust

Central green space used as a focus point for community activity

Recent stock transfer from council to RSL

Cash grant (no longer available)

Project Support

Gradually the group attracted a more serious interest in the estate from all the agencies. The setting up the ‘community action project’ reflected this. The group showed the residents that it is worth making the effort; with each activity organised they found more people talking positively about what could be done to improve the problems people have experienced in the past.