Middlesbrough Council - News Forum - Setting a light to the News

DESPITE ALL THE PROTESTS OF FLAWED DEMOLITION PLANS
AND NOW THE RAY MALLON / MBC ANNOUNCED CUT BACKS IN SERVICES
AND INCREASES IN COMMUNITY CHARGES
MBC & PARTNERS IN CRIME ERIMUS / FABRICK / TEES VALLEY HOUSING
ARE LOOKING TO WASTE MORE TAX PAYERS MONEY FROM THE PUBLIC PURSE

YOU COULDN'T MAKE IT UP



Alison Thaine Old Boiled Egg for Services to Housing Demolition

Tees Valley Unlimited
Bid to the Government For
Housing Market Transitional Funding

Alison Thain OBE
Board member of Tees Valley Unlimited
and Chief Executive Fabrick Housing Group

Bid to the Government For Housing Market Transitional Funding

Section 1 - Programme Level Summary and
Forward Strategy
This bid is for £6.1m of grant from a total programme cost of £13.8m (44.5%). It will result in 196
properties being acquired and a total of 536 properties, including some commercial units, cleared.
Section 1 of this bid firstly summarises progress to date then highlights our programme level
priorities and forward strategies. Section 2 contains the detailed forward strategies and proposals
from the four local authorities. A series of Appendices at the rear of the document will contain
for each local authority a map of the area and a letter confirming political support. Because of size
the master and individual schedules will be sent as separate excel worksheets. It is not our
intention to repeat the voluminous evidence base illustrating the depth and extent of the problems
faced in our former HMR areas-these are already widely disseminated and in the possession of DCLG.
Between the commencement of our physical renewal activities in 2006 and the cessation of
the programme in 2011 Tees Valley achieved the following outputs:
Property acquisitions
2,032
Demolitions (including social housing)
2,702
Relocation packages
289
New builds
1,405
Public investment
£143.28m
Private investment
£108.9m
Commercial investment
£56m
Whilst the above figures are, we believe, impressive, much remains to be done. Applying the
strict criteria of this bidding regime over 200 households remain trapped in streets or blocks
with less than 50% occupancy. In the wider former HMR areas the number approaches 350.
Our proposals therefore are, we believe, relatively modest but will allow us to draw a line
under the previous HMR regime and allow us to move forward in seeking new ways to
renew our failing housing markets.

SOURCE http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1 ... %20ATT.pdf

Tees Valley Priority Action Areas and Costs
Following a thorough visual and technical assessment and having due regard to the bidding
regime criteria the following areas have been identified as our priority areas:
Local Authority
Sub-Area
Properties
Properties
Size of area
Grant
to Acquire
to Demolish
covered (ha)
Sought
Middlesbrough
Gresham, St Hildas
58
231
20.9
£2,389,900
Stockton-on-Tees
Parkfield
34
103
3.81
£1,521,908
Hartlepool
Carr/Hopps Street
98
189
2.06
£2,000,000
Redcar & Cleveland South Bank
6
13
0.08
£266,796
The individual local authority submissions later in this document and the attached
schedules and plans provide further information and justification for these areas.

READ MORE http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1 ... %20ATT.pdf

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Bid to the Government For Housing Market Transitional Funding
2.1 Middlesbrough
Introduction
Middlesbrough’s HMR programme focused on the delivery of two strategically important
projects in the Gresham and St Hilda’s areas. The projects were part of a 15-year vision to
tackle obsolete housing and stimulate economic growth in the town utilising funding from
the Housing Market Renewal Fund and Single Housing Investment Pot. As a consequence
of the cessation of the aforementioned funding streams, there are residents trapped in
terraces where the majority of the properties have been stripped and boarded up. This bid
will seek funding to acquire the properties of residents in the worst conditions and achieve
a structured exit from the HMR programme.

READ MORE http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1 ... %20ATT.pdf

Progress to Date - Gresham
The Gresham project was announced in July 2005, as part of a 15-year vision for the town’s
older housing areas. The proposals included the demolition of 1453 terraced properties
across three acquisition phases to be replaced with a variety of housing types and a mixed-
use and commercial development to support the economic regeneration of the town.
The subsequent change of Government and the strong indication of future funding cuts
given in the Emergency Budget on the 22nd June 2010 led the Council to announce the
formal removal of the 634 properties in Phase 3 from the demolition programme on the
17th August 2010. The decision was taken to enable the Council to provide as many
residents as possible with certainty about the future of their homes.
Acquisitions have been focused in Phase 1 of the area. The Council has to date acquired
372 and demolished 153 of the 418 properties in Phase 1.

READ MORE http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1 ... %20ATT.pdf

Programme Exit Strategy - Gresham
Bid for relocation funding
HMR Transition Fund resources are sought to enable the acquisition of the remaining 46
properties and the demolition of a further 198 properties in Phase 1 of the project (see
Appendix 2, Plan 1). All of the properties to be acquired are in blocks where more than 50% of
the homes are empty and the resources will enable the remaining residents to be appropriately
re-housed. A block of 67 properties is to be retained for a private sector led refurbishment
scheme. The cleared site will be grassed over until assembly of Phase 2 is complete.

READ MORE http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1 ... %20ATT.pdf

Commitments transferred to successor regeneration activities
The plans for Gresham have been scaled back with 634 properties removed from the
clearance programme. However, to bring the required economic growth requires a site

4
Bid to the Government For Housing Market Transitional Funding

larger than Phase 1. The Council and the HCA Regional Team therefore remain committed
to the redevelopment of Phase 2 of the project.
Successive strategies for the town centre have identified that the existing estate, which
occupies a strategic gateway position close to the town centre, acts as a major impediment
to private sector investment. The Council is therefore committed to finding the funding to
complete the acquisition and demolition of Phase 2, without the requirement for financial
assistance from Government, and will contribute available Council resources.
The vision for the Gresham area is for the Council and its private sector partners to deliver
a transformational mixed-use development in order to achieve our mutual ambitions to
stimulate private sector led economic growth in Middlesbrough Town Centre.

READ MORE http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1 ... %20ATT.pdf

Funding being pursued or recently obtained
The Council was awarded £2.2m from the Regional HCA’s Planning and Regeneration
budget to progress site assembly in Phase 1 of Gresham. The resources were fully
defrayed in accordance with the funding agreement.

Resident consultation

Extensive resident involvement has been in place since 2004. Residents were consulted
with during April/May 2010 on alternative options for the future of the area as part of a
review of the Gresham scheme. All options included demolition in Phases 1 and 2 but an
overall reduction in the clearance programme and were widely supported by the
community. Residents and owners of Phase 1 properties are aware of the Council’s plans
to complete acquisitions in the area and will be informed of the timescales once the
outcome of this bid is known.
Residents and owners of properties in Phase 2 will be informed of the Council’s plans to
take the project forward as a non-HMR project, using available Council resources, after a
meeting of the Executive in August/September 2011.
The Council and the Regional HCA are working with local community groups in the area to
consider the establishment of a Community Land Trust to improve the retained properties.

READ MORE http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1 ... %20ATT.pdf

Plans for acquisition and refurbishment of former HMR housing
A block of 67 properties is to be retained for an innovative private sector led refurbishment
scheme in the Wentworth and Waverley Street area of Phase 1 (see Appendix 2, Plan 1).
The block would be comprehensively improved, and returned to housing stock through rent
or sale. The block would form a natural bridge between the new development planned for
Phase 1 and the existing terraced housing stock.
Progress to Date - St Hilda’s
St Hilda’s forms part of the Greater Middlehaven site adjacent to Middlesbrough Dock. In
2004 a master plan was produced that provided a vision for the future of Greater
Middlehaven, which totals over 100ha. The proposals included comprehensive clearance in
order to regenerate and reposition Middlesbrough and to provide impetus for a
comprehensive revitalisation of the sub-region.
5
Bid to the Government For Housing Market Transitional Funding
Significant redevelopment has commenced but the removal of the remaining housing is
critical to the completion of the overall scheme and attraction of investment.
When the project was announced there were 61 privately owned and 230 Council/RSL
owned dwellings. The Council has acquired all but 11 of the privately owned dwellings and
only one RSL tenant has yet to be re-housed.
Programme Exit Strategy - St Hilda’s
Bid for relocation funding
HMR Transition Fund resources are sought to enable the acquisition of the 12 privately
owned dwellings and the demolition of the remaining 33 properties (See Appendix 2, Plan
2). The 12 properties to be acquired are located in two streets where more that 50% of the
homes are empty. The cleared site will be grassed over in advance of future
redevelopment.
Successor regeneration initiatives
The cleared site at St Hilda’s forms part of the Greater Middlehaven area. St Hilda’s is a key
arrival and transitional area, including the railway station and key routes between the town
centre and the wider Greater Middlehaven area. It is also the home of the Boho Zone, a
creative industries and digital technologies quarter.
The completion of the clearance programme will unlock sites for private sector investment,
create a critical mass of development activity and help address the area’s negative
perceptions as an area of housing market failure.
Should the remaining residential properties remain, the area will continue to be associated
with housing market failure, developer confidence and development momentum in Greater
Middlehaven will be jeopardised, and the vision of the Greater Middlehaven partners will
not be realised and existing investments undermined.
Sources of funding pursued or obtained
The Council’s plans for Greater Middlehaven are supported by the Regional HCA office.
Funding has been sought from the former Planning and Regeneration Budget and
indications from the HCA are that the completion of site assembly at St Hilda’s is
considered to be a priority for future funding.
Resident consultation
The St Hilda’s Liaison Group was established in 2004 shortly after the announcement of the
plans to clear the area. The group included residents, Middlehaven Ward Members, Tees
Valley Regeneration, Erimus Housing and Council Officers. The group continued to meet
regularly until 2010 when number of remaining households was so few that there was no
representation from residents. Residents are aware of the Council’s plans to complete
acquisitions.
6
Bid to the Government For Housing Market Transitional Funding
Political Approval
The prioritisation of HMR Transition Fund resources for the completion of acquisitions in St
Hilda’s and Gresham Phase 1, to assist those households trapped in the worst conditions, is
supported by the Elected Mayor of Middlesbrough (see attached letter, Appendix 2).
The Mayor also supports the proposal to complete the redevelopment of Phase 2 of
Gresham using the Council’s own resources in order to stimulate the economic growth of
the town centre and deliver new sustainable jobs in the town. The Council’s Executive will
formally consider the proposal in August/September 2011.
Value For Money
The residents of Gresham and St Hilda’s have previously been offered enhanced relocation
packages to bridge the gap in affordability between their homes and a replacement
property. This bid therefore includes a realistic estimate of enhanced relocation packages
where appropriate. By offering an enhanced package the risk of incurring the expense of a
CPO is mitigated by encouraging residents to take up the offer of relocation assistance.
Middlesbrough Council has implemented value for money (VFM) measures on HMR projects
as part of the adopted sub-regional VFM strategy. The Council has been able to demonstrate
a 24.8% saving on basic controllable costs including legal, valuation and security fees.
Other additional savings on project costs, along with joint working measures, have also
been implemented in order to achieve another 10% (minimum) saving in the next 12 months.

READ MORE http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1 ... %20ATT.pdf

BoroBot wrote:

Funding being pursued or recently obtained
The Council was awarded £2.2m from the Regional HCA’s Planning and Regeneration
budget to progress site assembly in Phase 1 of Gresham. The resources were fully
defrayed in accordance with the funding agreement.

AND THE BIGGEST JOKE IS……………………………..

Resident consultation
Extensive resident involvement has been in place since 2004. Residents were consulted
with during April/May 2010 on alternative options for the future of the area as part of a
review of the Gresham scheme. All options included demolition in Phases 1 and 2 but an
overall reduction in the clearance programme and were widely supported by the
community. Residents and owners of Phase 1 properties are aware of the Council’s plans
to complete acquisitions in the area and will be informed of the timescales once the
outcome of this bid is known.
Residents and owners of properties in Phase 2 will be informed of the Council’s plans to
take the project forward as a non-HMR project, using available Council resources, after a
meeting of the Executive in August/September 2011.
The Council and the Regional HCA are working with local community groups in the area to
consider the establishment of a Community Land Trust to improve the retained properties.
READ MORE http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1 ... %20ATT.pdf

Tees Valley Priority Action Areas and Costs
Following a thorough visual and technical assessment and having due regard to the bidding regime criteria the following areas have been identified as our priority areas:

Middlesbrough Gresham, St Hildas
58 Properties Sought to Acquire
231 Properties to Demolish
20.9 Size of area covered (ha)
£2,389,900 Grant

Stockton-on-Tees Parkfield
34 Properties Sought to Acquire
103 Properties to Demolish
3.81 Size of area covered (ha)
£1,521,908 Grant

Hartlepool Carr/Hopps Street
98 Properties Sought to Acquire
189 Properties to Demolish
2.06 Size of area covered (ha)
£2,000,000 Grant

Redcar & Cleveland South Bank
6 Properties Sought to Acquire
13 Properties to Demolish
0.08 Size of area covered (ha)
£266,796

The individual local authority submissions later in this document and the attached
schedules and plans provide further information and justification for these areas.

READ MORE http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1 ... %20ATT.pdf