OUR BYKER, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR TENANTS.

Creating Healthy & Sustainable Places in an Urban City Garden

University Health Programme Newcastle

Jill Haley, Chief Executive Byker Community Trust September 2019

Byker old and new …

• 2000 homes, commercial, land

• Individually designed estate

• Grade II* Listed

• Built between 1969 - 1983

• Stock Transfer from NCC to BCT July 2012

Ralph ErskineErskine’s vision was to build for the returning community ….

• 2000 Properties• Individual design features• District Heating System • Schools and play areas• Hobby rooms • Viewing areas• Shops• Communal space • Environment

- 2000+ Trees- 1200 Hedges - 75 Communal planters- 600+ Large communal plant pots (Byker Wall)

But then …

Time and social politics took their toll …

• Lack of investment • High density • Cost of services • Listed features v lifestyles • Over supply/vulnerability • Diverse community• Indices of deprivation • Environmental decay

Byker Community Trust

Index of multiple deprivation (32,482 Super Output Areas)

Social Indices Income 3%Employment 2%Health 1%Education, Skills & Training 3%Overall 2%

Environmental Stock Transfer Promise

• Car access & car parking • Pedestrian movement • Materials, maintenance &

management • Refuse management & recycling • Safety & security • Sustainability • Play & recreation • Trees & landscaping

Environmental Investment to Date

Car Access & Car Parking

• £73k improvements• Enclosure to 2 stilt

blocks• £6k boundary rail

treatment to the grassed area at Dunn Terrace

Pedestrian Movement

• £2m concierge & security upgrade to 655 properties

• Agreement with NCC for inspection & maintenance of unadopted highways

• Grounds maintenance & environmental response service by BCT (14 Tenant Inspectors)

Materials, Maintenance & Management

•NCC responsible for the bi annual inspection & maintenance of adopted roads & footpaths.

Refuse Management &

Recycling• Working with NCC to

improve waste management in Byker.

• New communal bin areas for 2 sheltered accommodation blocks.

• 3 pilot communal bin areas

Environmental Investment to Date

Safety & Security

- Invested £812k option appraisal & phase 1 delivery converting 10 hobby rooms into new homes. - 5 play areas improved since July 2012. (Estimated value of these works £5928)

SustainabilityInvested £81k in

installing photovoltaics to the roof of the Byker

Wall.1 megawatt Biomass Boiler & 1 megawatt CHP plant to District

Heating System.

Play & Recreation

To be considered as part of the main

scheme.

Trees & Landscaping

- Tree works carried out by trained arbour staff in our grounds maintenance team. - Detailed tree survey completed.

Environmental Upgrade & Consultation

• ‘Your Byker Future, Official Offer Document’

• December 2018 - Appointment of JDDK to deliver design services

• February 2019 – Stakeholder & Community Engagement programme

• £3.4m Environmental spend to date- £10.3m shopping list - £3.6m budget

Investigating the issues & understanding the investment priorities

Stakeholder & Community Engagement

Collected views from circa 1000 residents

Stakeholder & Community Engagement

Placechangers online platform 491 comments (approx.100 by design team)

Street stalls, walkabouts & playground stalls 284 residentsFormal engagement sessions 90 residentsComment cards 97 residents

Placechangers Online Platform

Engagement Results

Findings & recommended approach for delivery

Community Priorities Stakeholder Priorities Recommendations

Waste ManagementAs part of this project, the following should be reviewed• Increase communal bin usage across the

Estate• Resize in garden bin stores to suit wheelie

bins• Enclosures around bin stores improving

aesthetic appearance• Recycling (inc. more provision & education)• More litter bins placed at strategic locations,

parks, bus stops, greens

Tree Management

As part of this project the following should be reviewed

• Number of inappropriately sized & located trees affecting quality of spaces &properties

• Density of trees & affect on natural daylight in communal spaces & homes

• Diversity of species• Replacing trees with fruit trees

Raby Street Improvements

As part of this project the following should be reviewed• A focus on Raby Street to tackle fear of

crime & personal safety perceptions• Address the kerb appeal of what is the

most prominent entrance way into the Byker Estate, & the main thoroughfare from Byker metro station & Shields Road

Soft Landscaping

As part of this project the following should be reviewed

• Hedging

• Flower habitat

• Tree replanting including fruit trees• Allotments, planters & food production

Safe Play Spaces

Safe play & youth diversionary activity should review

• Consideration of shared / semi private gardens enclosures

• New central play provision (e.g. astro turf multi purpose pitch, skate park etc)

• Property fencing heights & secure play space

Garden Fencing

Improving the kerb appeal should review

• Addressing fencing uniformity & residents need for privacy / security to their gardens

• Consider reduction in painted fencing in non-prominent locations to reduce maintenance, promoting pre-treated timbers, unpainted or alternative materials

Welcoming Gateways into the Estate

Entrances into the Estate from outside the Byker Wall were seen negatively during the consultation process.

Targeted investment to these areas will enhance the aesthetics to improve the perception of pedestrian safety & create welcoming gateways into the Byker Estate.

Recommendations

Delivering Estate Wide Transformation

Garden City Principles

• Strong vision, leadership and community engagement • Land value capture for the benefit of the community • Community ownership of land and long-term stewardship of assets • Mixed-tenure homes and housing types that are affordable for ordinary people • Beautiful and imaginatively designed homes with gardens in healthy communities • A strong local jobs offer in the Garden City itself and within easy commuting

distance • Opportunities for residents to grow their own food, including allotments • Generous green space, including: surrounding belt of countryside to prevent

unplanned sprawl; well connected and biodiversity-rich public parks; high quality gardens; tree-lined streets; and open spaces

• Strong cultural, recreational and shopping facilities in walkable neighbourhoods • Integrated and accessible transport systems

What principles are missing…

• Physical location/stigma• Connectivity• Education & training opportunities • Ability to adapt to future challenges• Age friendly spaces for all • Retail & leisure mix• Sustainable neighbourhood/heat/power provision

District Heating

Solar Panels

Start with the end in mind…

• Who will live here & why?• For how long?• Population movement plan also in economical context• What do immediate & future prospects look like (0 – 50 years)• Is the neighbourhood self generative & is this future proof?• How resilient will people be to political & public policy changes?• What reliance will they have on local authority services?

It’s about People

and Place!

Key message…

Before moving on to shiny new things …Set a vision for all citizens to have - A healthy life- Free from hunger & poverty - Equal opportunities to education,

training & employment

Questions?