|
|
- What
is Urban Living?
Urban Living is the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder for Birmingham
and Sandwell. It is one of nine Pathfinders set up by the Government
in the Midlands and North of the country to improve housing
markets and regenerate deprived neighbourhoods.
In July 2004 Urban Living was awarded up to £50.016m
funding for the period ending March 2006. Further funding
for the two-year period ending March 2008 will be allocated
following submission of revised programme proposals (The Scheme
Update) to the Office for Communities and Local Government
(DCLG).
- What
area does Urban Living cover?
The Urban Living area covers 60,000 homes in 3,255 hectares
extending through parts of Birmingham City Council and Sandwell
MBC, running in a broad band through areas of West Bromwich,
Smethwick, Handsworth, Winson Green, Lozells, Newtown and Aston,
effectively linking West Bromwich Town Centre to Birmingham
City Centre.
- What
is the Pathfinder intended to achieve?
The Urban Living Partnership will seek to revitalise the housing
market throughout the area to ensure a more sustainable balance
between housing supply and demand. Partner organisations will
address the social and economic issues that need to be tackled
in order to transform these areas into sustainable communities
where people want to live.
Funding will be used to create new homes with high design
standards, refurbish existing properties, encourage a range
of types of tenure and implement neighbourhood management
schemes throughout the area.
- What
timetable are you working to?
Urban Living was successful in receiving up to £50 million
Government funding in 2004, covering the two-year period to
March 2006. Urban Living is bidding for further funding for
the period to 2008. However, the Urban Living Pathfinder programme
is a fifteen-year initiative anticipated to end in 2019.
- Why
has Birmingham and Sandwell been chosen?
Research by the University of Birmingham (CURS, 1998, 1999),
and subsequent analysis by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister,
highlight this area as being at risk from low housing demand.
As a result Urban Living was established to tackle this problem.
- What
are the causes of low demand?
The problem of low demand is a complex issue based upon many
local, regional and national factors. The changing needs of
an urban population - influenced by changes in employment, location
and opportunity – interact in areas characterised by limited
market choice, poor quality housing and a sub-standard neighbourhood
infrastructure.
- Hasn't
this type of approach been done before?
We are taking a new approach to tackle low demand and abandonment.
In the past, funding has been on a piecemeal and short-term
basis. Housing Market Renewal is a long-term initiative and
is working across local authority boundaries to deliver real
and sustainable change.
- Will
there be demolition in the Birmingham and Sandwell areas?
The scale of the problems we face means that changes are needed
if things are to improve for local residents. In some areas,
that could mean the demolition of redundant housing stock or
derelict industrial units to make way for new housing sites.
Much of the proposed clearance and demolition within the Urban
Living Pathfinder area relates to the removal of already unpopular,
post-war local authority sites such as tower blocks. No work
will be undertaken without extensive local consultation.
- Housing
alone won't improve the area – what about crime, transport and
employment?
Urban Living believes that the improvement of housing will also
have a major positive effect on the area as a whole. This includes
boosting the local economy by building confidence and attracting
new people to the area. But we are not developing our plans
in isolation – we are working together with a wide range
of other organisations to address important issues such as community
safety, health, poor image, employment and education, the environment
and service-provision. Much of this work is being channelled
through the Collaborative Board set up in February 2006. Led
by the Leaders of the two Local Authorities, this has wide ranging
representation from all the key service areas.
- How
does Urban Living operate?
Urban Living is managed and run by a Delivery Board led by an
independent Chairperson and made up of people from a variety
of backgrounds. The Board determines strategy and priorities
and allocates resources.
A Collaborative Board set up in February 2006 is chaired
by the Birmingham and Sandwell Council Leaders, and has a
high-level representation in all key service areas. This Board
provides strategic leadership, guidance and vision. It drives
forward the programme of wider issues focussing on education,
enterprise, employment, health and community safety.
At an operational level, an Urban Living team oversees the
Housing Market Renewal programme, which is delivered by the
key local authority, housing association and private sector
partners.
- Who
are the stakeholders?
Urban Living stakeholders include a range of organisations and
individuals including both local authorities (Birmingham City
Council and Sandwell MBC), representatives from the Local Strategic
Partnerships (LSPs), Advantage West Midlands, English Partnerships
and the Housing Corporation.
The police, education and health sectors, housing associations
and the private sector are also key stakeholders. However,
the most important people are those living in Birmingham and
Sandwell who will benefit from the major investment that the
Pathfinder programme will deliver.
- How
will the Housing Corporation and housing associations contribute?
The Housing Corporation is actively involved in supporting the
Housing Market Renewal programme. It has assigned a senior staff
member to the Urban Living Delivery Board.
Housing associations play a major role as one of the key
delivery vehicles for the programme. Their experience and
expertise is vital in ensuring that local communities are
consulted on, informed about, and involved in the various
initiatives that are being developed.
How will Urban Living work with the private sector?
The private sector will play a key role in delivering the
outcomes required. Builders, developers, mortgage lenders
and providers of institutional finance will all be involved
on a strategic level.
- How
will Urban Living work with the private sector?
The private sector will
play a key role in delivering the outcomes required. Builders,
developers, mortgage lenders and providers of institutional
finance will all be involved on a strategic level.
- Who
will approve Urban Living's strategic plans?
Urban Living enters into a performance and funding agreement
with DCLG on the basis of its funding bids (the Prospectus and
Scheme Updates). These bids are subject to detailed scrutiny
by officials at both DCLG and the Audit Commission.
What monitoring and evaluation is undertaken?
Monitoring systems have been established by DCLG to oversee
the effects of Urban Living’s projects and to evaluate
the overall effectiveness of its approach. Detailed monitoring
also takes place at a local level to ensure that plans and
projects are on target and delivering the specified objectives.
- What
monitoring and evaluation will be undertaken?
Monitoring systems have
been established by the DCLG to oversee the effects of Urban
Living's projects and to evaluate the overall effectiveness
of its approach. Detailed monitoring will also take place at
a local level to ensure that plans and projects are on target
and delivering the specified objectives.
- How
are you consulting with local people?
Consultation and engagement is a key part of any major regeneration
programme. The Urban Living Delivery Board fully understands
the need to ascertain the views of local people and is committed
to engage with the population to ensure they are fully aware
and supportive of the proposed programme. Projects being delivered
are subject to local consultation.
- How
will HMRA Funding be shared among the nine Pathfinders?
Funding is performance related and agreed in negotiation with
each pathfinder on the basis of each strategic scheme. The scheme
is subject to independent scrutiny by the Audit Commission to
ensure it represents value for money.
A revised scheme update was produced in September 2006 resulting in an allocation of £44.5m up to March 2008.
|
