The role of housing

associations in successful

community led housing projects

Anna James

Project Manager (Empty Homes) Plus Dane Group

About Plus Dane Group

• One of the largest developing RPs in the North West

• We own & manage over 18,000 homes across Merseyside & Cheshire

• We are delivering 2,000 new homes by 2017

• We have a £150m development programme

• Heritage in co-operative movement in South Liverpool

What we’ll talk about today

Empowering local communities……

• Case studies- How Plus Dane have responded

• Types of partnership

• Lessons learned

The bigger picture

• HMR legacy

• Reduced funding environment

• Challenges & opportunities

• Not the driving force but the supporter/facilitator

Granby 4 Streets

• Focus of sustained regeneration activity since 1970s

• Deep-rooted problems of housing market decline and poor structural conditions

• 93.6% of the Princes Park ward in most 5% deprived nationally

• £50m funding for the area- Clusters of Empty Homes, Plus Dane, LCC, HCA

• Granby CLT success in community asset transfer

• Homes for £1 pilot

The Vision

Committed Communities

Sensitive Refurbishment

Welsh Streets

• Plus Dane, LCC and local community working together for over 10 years

• Identified need to create more housing choice

• Our proposals combine demolition, refurbishment and new build – Public Enquiry result.

• Phase A: 189 homes (157 new build and 32 refurbs)

• Home-steading & public realm

• What next?

Welsh Streets

Kirkby- lets work together..!

A local community, an established co-operative

71 homes to be cleared

Kirkby

• 71 new homes, underpinning £200m regeneration of Kirkby town centre

• Public private partnership: KMBC, Plus Dane, Tesco, Cherryfield Co-op, local residents

• Existing homes: 52 Plus Dane & 19 Co-op

• Robust community engagement & sensitive management of issues

• Responding to individual housing need and aspiration

• Site cleared: Tesco pull out – What next?

Kirkby

South Cheshire Borders CLT

• PDG have funded a dedicated CLT officer

• Job to provide technical support with feasibilities and business planning

• We support the officer through training, monitor delivery and promote the concept to communities

• Targets agreed to ensure CLT post is self sustaining within 2/3years

Genuine partnership

What do Housing Associations bring?.....

• We bring capacity and resources across development, finance, funding and relationships with influential stakeholders

• We gain community buy-in, genuine engagement, improved relationships and understanding of local priorities

Genuine partnership

Communities are the real heart and drivers for change…

• Communities bring expertise, passion, creativity and real understanding of place and priorities

• Communities gain capacity, resources and high-profile support to make things happen

Lessons learned

• Need for buy-in across all stakeholders

• Need to build trust between stakeholders – shared vision

• Partners enable each other – shared resources

• Don’t ignore the power of social media

• Communicate sensitively and robustly

Thank you