Queens ParkMillom

Opportunities for estate regenerationHome Group customersNovember 2017

Home Group

Home Group is one of the UK’s biggest housing associations and provides long-term integrated housing, health and social care. As a social enterprise and charity, all surplus made by our outright sales activity is reinvested into social homes and communities.

Queens Park in Millom is a housing estate developed by Home Group of predominantly concrete flat roofed properties built in the 1940s. There are 66 of the concrete-constructed homes, 49 affordable rented belonging to Home Group and 17 privately owned.

Home Group is committed to providing homes our customers want to live in and Queens Park has been identified as one of our estates where regeneration could make a real difference as the properties are difficult to maintain.

There are long-term issues with the rented properties at Queens Park that cannot be addressed through maintenance including dated design, a poor state of repair and expensive to heat. There is a need to consider providing housing that better suits the aspirations and housing needs of our customers and the wider community.

Home Group will have to spend over £2.5 million on planned maintenance over the next 30 years. Rather than extending the life of these homes, we believe this £2.5 million could be better used to redevelop the estate to provide some new affordable rented homes along with new homes for sale and investment into other Home Group properties within the area.

When considering estate regeneration, Home Group follows a detailed governance process to support the way it makes decisions about its homes. We are committed to providing quality homes which promote social cohesion, wellbeing and self-dependence.

Our preferred option

The regeneration of the area (refer to the conclusion) with a high proportion of Home Group properties and those which are of a flat roof construction has been considered the most appropriate, long-term, sustainable solution.

Working with our customers

Home Group is committed to supporting our customers throughout this process and finding alternative accommodation. All customers who will be moving away from the regeneration area of Queens Park will be compensated through a home loss payment, which is currently £6,100. All customers will also be paid disturbance payments which are the reasonable costs for moving, these include: redirection of mail, telephone reconnection, Sky/cable reconnection. (Refer to relocation choice A-C in the back of this booklet)

Whilst we could redevelop Queens Park concentrating on rented properties only, we are also keen to work with owner occupiers to buy back their properties. This would enable a more comprehensive redevelopment of the area.

Our commitment to our customers and wider community

We will be holding information and consultation sessions along with one to one meetings with Queens Park customers and owner occupiers over the coming months, with the aim of understanding household need and to outline the options and support available as part of the regeneration proposals.

This is the first step in our engagement process and we are committed to involving residents throughout as well as working with local stakeholders to ensure the best possible outcomes for all.

Why regeneration?

Current problems on the estate:

• Properties are in a state of decline mainly as a result of how they were constructed

• Inefficient use of existing homes with many customers experiencing under-occupation or overcrowding

• Homes are poorly insulated and ventilated resulting in higher bills and condensation issues for customers due to out of date construction methods

• Mix of properties not suited to demand• Large garden spaces could be used more efficiently for better use• Poorly designed public spaces and poor links through to the wider area

We believe regeneration of this area should provide more than just improving the look of the estate. Our vision is to:

• Build a better mix of housing in terms of type, tenure and quality• Address overcrowding or under-occupation for our customers• Support wider regeneration aspirations for Millom• Improve the visual entrance into Millom from the north• Improve pedestrian links from Queens Park to the wider area• Promote health and wellbeing by investing in public realm• Provide housing to support economic growth of the town

To enable us to make a decision for the opportunities for regeneration we considered three regeneration options which are explained on the following pages.

Continue to maintain the estate to current standards

Advantages: • No rehousing for our customers• No disruption through potential building on site

Disadvantages: • Financially unviable to repair all Home Group homes, which would cost

approximately £2.5 million over the next 30 years, and will not significantly extend the life span of the properties

• No new affordable and private sale homes to meet local housing need• Inefficient use of space on the estate would persist• No investment in public realm• Customers continue to live in properties that are poorly insulated, overcrowded

or under-occupied and costly to heat

Regeneration – Option 1

Regeneration – Option 2

Redevelop the whole estate

Advantages: • Replacement of all existing homes• Homes which are more energy efficient and sustainable, reducing the cost of

household bills• Improved estate layout, clearer accessibility, landscaped amenity space which

contributes to wellbeing • Additional private sale and affordable homes that better suit local housing need,

supporting the local economy• Better integration of Queens Park to the surrounding area

Disadvantages: • The condition of properties in the wider area are of a different construction and

don’t have the same problems as the flat roof constructed homes• Customers lose their current homes• Regeneration will take a number of years

Partial regeneration of Queens Park focusing on the area of flat roof properties

Advantages: • An opportunity for our customers to be rehoused into better quality Home Group

properties with an enhanced void specification• Providing support and sourcing homes that are suitable for the household needs

of our customers in Millom or the wider area if preferred, addressing overcrowding or under-occupation

• Providing homes which are modern, energy efficient and sustainable• Replacing most affordable rented homes and those that are privately owned with

a proportion of affordable and a majority of properties for private sale• Building additional private sale and affordable homes that better suit local

housing need and support the local economy• Improved estate layout, clearer accessibility, usable landscaped amenity space

which contributes to wellbeing• Better integration to the surrounding areas • Creating a more attractive entrance to Millom from the north

Disadvantages: • Regeneration will take a number of years• Customers lose their current homes• A small number of old properties may remain as part of the overall regeneration

Regeneration – Option 3

Customer choices

Below outlines the three relocation choices for customers as part of the regeneration proposals for Queens Park

Customer relocation choice A

Permanent relocation in Millom

• Customers will be sourced a Home Group property or one from another Registered Provider (where possible) that is suitable for their household need addressing overcrowding or under-occupation

• All customers will be provided with support to relocate as part of the move (decanting) process. Extra assistance will be provided to those who are elderly and or vulnerable

• Where customers wish to under-occupy, the housing team would need to confirm household income details for affordability purposes to ensure any home they will be allocated is sustainable

• Properties will be allocated through Home Group’s allocations process to identify the priority of customers when offering properties

• All properties will have an enhanced void specification• Customers will be offered a choice of paint, carpet and curtains or blinds as part

of their permanent relocation home offer• Customers who have high medical or mobility needs will be identified at an early

stage to ensure that any aids and adaptations they currently have will be installed in their new property. If customers require additional aids and adaptations they currently do not have, this will be discussed with them prior to their move to ensure that any accommodation offered is suitable, comfortable and sustainable

• Home loss payment is payable to customers who are required to move from their original rented home (principle home). The amount payable is currently £6,100 per household – any outstanding rent arrears will be deducted from the final sum

• Disturbance payment payable to customers to reimburse for the ‘reasonable costs’ associated with moving home permanently. This includes removals costs (paid directly to Home Group’s contractor), redirection of mail, TV / Satellite reconnection, telephone reconnection

Customer relocation choice B

Permanent relocation to Home Group property in Copeland

• Customers will be sourced a Home Group property that is suitable for their household need addressing overcrowding or under-occupation

• All customers will be provided with support to move as part of the move (decanting) process. Extra assistance will be provided to those that are elderly and or vulnerable

• Where customers want to under-occupy, the housing team would need to confirm there household income details for affordability purposes to ensure that any home they will be allocated is sustainable

• Properties will be allocated through an allocations process to identify priority of customers when offering properties

• Customers will be offered a choice of paint and carpet as part of their permanent home offer

• All properties will have an enhanced void specification• Customers who have high medical or mobility needs will be identified at an early

stage to ensure that any aids and adaptations they currently have will be installed in their new property. If customers require additional aids and adaptations they currently do not have, this will be discussed with them prior to their move to ensure that any accommodation offered is suitable, comfortable and sustainable

• Home loss payment is payable to customers who are required to move from their original rented home (principle home). The amount payable is currently £6,100 per household – any outstanding rent arrears will be deducted from the final sum

• Disturbance payment payable to customers to reimburse for the ‘reasonable costs’ associated with moving home permanently. This includes removals costs (paid directly to Home Group’s contractor), redirection of mail, TV / Satellite reconnection, telephone reconnection

Customer relocation choice C

Source own property

• Customers can choose to move to a non Home Group property and end their tenancy with Home Group

• Customers will be entitled to a final home loss payment – payable to customers who are required to move from their original rented home (principle home). The amount payable is currently £6,100 per household – any outstanding rent arrears will be deducted from the final sum

• Customers will be entitled to disturbance payments for the ‘reasonable costs’ associated with moving home permanently inline with option A and B if relocating within Copeland, however no disturbance payments are available if relocating further afield

Conclusion

Having reviewed the three regeneration options outlined, Option 3 is the most deliverable solution. The other options would fail to address many of the inherent problems arising from the estate. Option 3 involves regeneration of most of the existing estate, concentrating on the flat top properties. (please see the map below)

Whilst we understand this can be difficult time for everyone living on the estate, regeneration offers an opportunity to better meet the needs of our current and future customers and the wider community by developing new, modern, high quality homes, as well as creating a vibrant place to live.

After our consultation sessions, we will arrange for you to meet with members from the development and regeneration team over the coming months to discuss your needs with you.

Queens Park

Contact Shelley CourtyRegeneration Officer (North West)Home GroupT: 0191 607 9961M: 07393 233739E: Shelley.courty@homegroup.org.uk