"Multi-million pound regeneration for rundown Coventry flats"

[dutchman]

The 1960s buildings are looking tired and dated



Three blocks of flats in Coventry are to get a multi-million pound makeover to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Around £12 million will be spent bringing improving the flats in the Spon End area and making them safer.

Residents have complained about nuisance behaviour and fly-tipping in the area.

And housing association Citizen has stepped in with a plan to combat the issues.

As well as removing some of the walkways which sit between the blocks to improve safety, there will be major renovations to the accomodation.

And the housing association is also considering building more new homes in the area.

Chief Executive of Citizen, Kevin Rodgers, said: “We’re delighted to be able to announce this major regeneration project in Spon End – our second in as many months.

“Together with the work we are doing in Wyken this represents a £35million investment to transform two communities over the next five years.

“When we spoke to residents in Spon End many told us they were experiencing issues and would like to see improvements. We believe it is our duty to deal with those issues and that is what we are doing this.

“We are committed to continuing to invest in Coventry to give more people a home and a foundation for life.”

The improvement works will be carried out on 158 flats in three blocks - Kerry House, Milestone House and Trafalgar House.

This will include considering options for new affordable homes to be built at the site, including getting rid of some walkways to improve the area's safety.

It comes after a survey of residents showed many wanted investment in the area to try to tackle issues like anti-social behavior and fly-tipping, as well as improvements to their homes.

The work will see the blocks transformed in appearance and quality including the installation of new roofs, doors and windows, work to make the homes warmer and more energy efficient and improved security through the creation of new entrance ways and the demolition of some walkways.

The process of procuring a developer partner for the regeneration projects has started.

They will be appointed in summer 2020 and a detailed consultation with residents will follow.

[dutchman]

It's not "regeneration" it's just window-dressing, it will not address any of the following issues:

• The flats are long past their useful life.
• The seals leak and concrete is falling off the exterior.
• They're totally unsuitable for families with children.
• Any new windows will be broken every five minutes.
• The 'anti-social behaviour' has nothing to do with the condition of the buildings.
• It would be cheaper to build totally new homes.

The tower-blocks on the estate were renovated only recently and are already covered with mould.

[dutchman]

Told you so!

Residents to be re-homed as Spon End blocks marked for demolition



Three residential blocks in Spon End are set to be demolished as part of a new housing regeneration project in Coventry.

Work to flatten Kerry House, Milestone House and Trafalgar House will take place in 2023. They will be replaced by new homes by 2025.

In total, 158 flats are to be levelled with residents set to be re-homed over the next two years.

Housing association Citizen, which manages the properties, has responded to concerns raised by residents, revealing they hope to house the residents "in an area that suits them" in Coventry.

The regeneration plans at Kerry House, Milestone House, and Trafalgar House were first announced in 2019 when £12m worth of improvements were announced.

It came after a survey of residents showed many wanted to see investment in the area, to tackle anti-social behaviour issues and the need for improvement to homes.

Originally, the plans would have seen significant work carried out to the blocks, including new roofs, doors, windows, energy efficiency measures and improvements to security.

But, building survey work carried out in empty flats showed that the work would cost an additional £4m. It was said this would still not have guaranteed the long-term life of the buildings, or improve energy efficiency.

Instead, the decision was made to demolish the blocks, and replace these with new homes in Spon End.

However, due to the timescale of the project, residents will have to move. And though a letter sent to residents by Citizen, and seen by CoventryLive, suggests once the new homes are built, former residents will be able to express an interest in returning, a move into the new homes would not be guarantedd.

The demolition plans are set to affect 158 flats across the three blocks.

Citizen has confirmed that over the next four weeks, residents will be contacted to discuss their housing needs.

From September, and over the next two years, the housing association has said that they will be rehousing residents.

Kevin Rodgers, chief executive of Citizen, said: “We are pleased to be able to move forward with our plans to transform Spon End.

“As a not-for-profit social housing provider, it is our duty to make investment decisions which benefit people in our communities in a responsible and sustainable way.

“This decision was not taken lightly but it became clear once we had completed the in-depth surveys of the buildings that this is the right way to move forward.

“We will start the rehousing process in September and will consult the community ahead of developing plans for the new homes in Spon End.

“We will work with our residents to minimise disruption to their lives and we will support them all the way through the rehousing process.”

[Melisandre]

Its a shame as when my son was working on that estate for the council years ago the workmen used one of those empty flats he said they were lovely inside.

I dont believe any one with children should be put into flats may be these designers and those in the council who passes these plans should live in them with their children first.

I wonder if they will offer a choice of the new build homes to those that already live there to move back into the area I doubt it .

[dutchman]

Its a shame as when my son was working on that estate for the council years ago the workmen used one of those empty flats he said they were lovely inside.

They've deteriorated a lot since then Melisandre. In particular the rain seals between flats have perished which lets the damp in every time it rains.

I dont believe any one with children should be put into flats may be these designers and those in the council who passes these plans should live in them with their children first.

The designer lived in a Regency terrace in London!

I wonder if they will offer a choice of the new build homes to those that already live there to move back into the area, I doubt it.

Theoretically they will, it remains to be seen how that works out in practice.

Not all the flats on the estate are being demolished so it's possible that some will be rehoused very close by.

[Melisandre]

Thats a shame they been let to deteriorate like that.

Exactly the big white houses with pillars at the doors.

I know a man returned to Guild Rd when they demolished that and rebuilt.

Yes that will be handy for those who wish to remain on the estate but I think it will all go eventually.

[dutchman]

Ground-floor maisonettes were being left empty on the estate long before this announcement. I counted three-out-of-five in one block alone this afternoon and another three very close to each other but in separate blocks.

[dutchman]

I've done some research and found that despite the bland reassurances being given by Whitefriars/Citizen staff there are insufficient homes available to rehouse even a quarter of the families affected!

Before any lefties suggest "Well, they should just build more homes", "they" already are but they won't become available within the timescale mentioned. Add to that there are likely to be even more tenants in need of rehousing before then as homes on other estates around the city gradually become uninhabitable.

There are a few things I could suggest which would 'reduce' the number of homes needed but none of them would be legal under current legislation and wouldn't completely solve the problem in any case.

[dutchman]

Picture of the estate as it was when first built. Click on the image to see a giant-sized blow-up:

[dutchman]

Not mentioned in the article, as a temporary safety measure all gas cookers are being removed from ground floor flats. Before that they plan to do a gas safety inspection of the entire flats including the gas cookers. I suggested to the contractor that it might make more sense to do the inspections after the gas cookers have been removed?
He told me without a trace of irony in his voice that "They'd all be tested again before they're removed"!