Summerfield Environmental Improvements
Family’s involvement in the regeneration of Summerfield started back in March 2002, when Birmingham city Council and Sandwell MBC confirmed their intention to become one of the first wave of Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders in the country and formed Urban Living. Since then, Family has successfully delivered a number of projects in the Urban Living renewal area and been selected by Birmingham City Council as a Preferred Development and Management Partner in their North West Birmingham Housing Market Area.
Summerfield falls within the Ladywood Ward which was within the top 10% of the most deprived wards in the country with higher than average crime rates, unemployment, environmental problems, lower educational attainment and serious health issues. Family and Birmingham City Council are working to tackle these issues by putting in place intensive neighbourhood management and working with key service providers to ensure that local services are reshaped and targeted to better meet the specific need of local residents.
The Summerfield area has received a range of physical and social regeneration improvements led by Family. Working in partnership with Birmingham City Council, local residents and Urban Living, the Summerfield neighbourhood is changing, to a place where people, once again, are choosing to live. There is growing confidence in the area and evidence that the local housing market is starting to recover.
Please also see our Eco Projects page for all our environmental projects currently in the Summerfield area.
Nechells Housing Co-ordination Project
Family were invited by Birmingham City Council to act as accountable body and project manager for the Nechells Housing Coordination Project.
Family has recruited Stephen Dunne as Project Coordinator, who aims to develop partnership working by the Housing Associations and City Council Housing teams who deliver housing services in Nechells Ward and to develop the Safer Estates network and partnership working with the Police.
Refugee Project - Accommodate Birmingham
Family Housing Association has secured funding to pilot the development of a partnership to remove the barriers to the successful rehousing and integration of refugees in the North West of Birmingham, which will be one of the first of its kind in the UK.
Family successfully bid for funding from the Housing Associations Charitable Trust in 2004 and again in 2005 to develop the initiative, in partnership with other housing associations including Midland Heart, Birmingham City Council, local voluntary organisations, St. Basil’s and Trinity Housing Resource Centre and a range of refugee community organisations.
North West Birmingham is host to the largest number of refugees in Birmingham. Family appointed Dennis Minnis, former Birmingham City Council housing cabinet member, as Project Coordinator and the partnership will look at the most practical ways that social housing providers can support refugees and develop the role of refugee community organisations and the voluntary sector. The project will link into the work of the Urban Living Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder which has identified refugees as a priority group within its prospectus.
North West Birmingham
Marroway Street – Planning for Real
Commissioned by Birmingham City Council, Family have worked with the residents of The Hollies, The Laurels, The Limes and The Elms in North West Birmingham to involve them in a ‘planning for real’ exercise, ensuring that their views were taken on board in every aspect of the planning and design of an environmental improvement project with a value of £341,000 . Family led the project with funding from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and delivered the works in partnership with Birmingham City Council, JMP Partnership, BM3 Architects, local contractors, Fire Escapes Unlimited, as well as Chase Midland Plc’s affordable housing division, Chase Partnership Homes. The major environmental improvements have now been completed and have made a real difference to the area. To complement these works, we will shortly be working with local residents, Birmingham City Council and Groundwork to deliver a landscaping project to improve the appearance of front gardens.
Providing Affordable Homes
With funding from the Housing Corporation Social Housing Grant, accessed through Prime Focus and working in partnership with Concept Developments, Family has provided a new development of fourteen houses on Portland Road. The scheme has cost £2.1m and provides eleven homes for shared ownership and three for affordable rent, with shared ownership market values ranging from £182,000 for a three bed terrace to £220,000 for a four bed semi detached.
Burglary Reduction Initiative
Family’s Burglary Reduction Project with Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Police, has now expanded to cover nine wards in total; Sheldon, Stechford/Yardley North, South Yardley, Acocks Green, Springfield, Selly Oak, Hall Green, Sparkbrook and Moseley/Kingsheath.
All improvements come directly from the Police to our two Burglary Reduction Operatives who fit extra locks, door viewers, door chains, window alarms, patio-door locks and various other security products to make homes more secure. Residents are also provided with advice on keeping their home secure.
As referrals to the project must come from the Police, we are unfortunately not able to complete security upgrades requested by residents.