Primary outcome:By 2011 all housing in the NDC area will be of a decent standard and the range of accommodation will match the demands of the population
Satisfaction with accommodation rose from 79% - 86% (2002-2008 Mori)
Average terraced property prices rose from £30,962 - £72,112 (2002-2006) and from £72,112 - £80,000 (2006-2008 NDC national performance indicators)
Primary outcome: By 2011 to reduce the levels of dissatisfaction with the area to less than 10%
‘Think NDC has improved the area as a place to live’ at 55% (2008 Mori)
‘Satisfied with area as a place to live’ – those disagreeing halved: 38% -19% (2002-2008 Mori)
By far the biggest project in the NDC programme is the housing-based Outline Plan, which also includes new health and learning centres and community buildings.
The Outline Plan is bringing over £270 million of investment to the area, including the demolition of 1200 units and the building of 1450 new homes.
New social housing developments for the elderly created in Hillside and Calgarth Road, with £2.3 million of government money added to £4 million funding from Knowsley Housing Trust.
As part of the Outline Plan’s housing initiative, demolition was necessary to remove a number of blighted properties across the NDC area. Of the 900 demolitions undertaken by 2009, 400 units were derelict, requiring the relocation of around 500 residents. As the programme comes to the end of 2009 less than 10% of these residents remain to relocate - the majority of them to homes within the NDC area.
£250,000 was also invested by NDC in robust security fencing, trip rails and land treatments for homes close to demolition areas to make residents feel more secure and reduce the opportunities for anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping.
At the beginning of the programme the balance of social rented housing to private stock stood at 80% / 20% and has now moved to around 60% / 40%. By 2018, the percentage of private provision should be close to a 50/50 split.
NDC has facilitated the purchase of home owners’ properties within demolition areas for the last six years whilst KHT has been responsible for relocating their tenants.
This programme has provided heating allowances for homes with no central heating and tenants awaiting phased clearance.
The Neighbourhood Action Team (NAT) was set up in 2001 to provide extra neighbourhood management services to residents during the inevitable disruption of the demolition and clearance programme. The NAT team kept residents informed of progress against expectations and acted as a referral point to advise and help residents deal with issues arising from the programme.
The social housing stock owned by Knowsley Housing Trust (KHT) is now around 2340 homes. KHT has invested £40 million on modernisation to bring them up to, and beyond, the decent homes standard.
NDC has funded external improvements to owner-occupied properties – walls and driveways – to match KHT’s contribution at a cost of around £3.8 million to NDC.
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