Remaking-Chalkhill-Nov2008.Pdf
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Remaking Chalkhill Remaking Chalkhill Forward from the Leader of Brent Council and Managing Director MHT London. Now that the regeneration of The scheme also combined the From the beginning, the proposals for played active roles, giving up their Chalkhill is almost complete, it is redevelopment of the concrete regenerating Chalkhill have involved time in an entirely voluntary capacity our great pleasure to invite you to Bison estate with the transfer of local residents, who played a major and sometimes over many years. review the work that has gone into ownership of the Scientist estate to role in the planning of the scheme And we would also like to thank the transformation of the Chalkhill Metropolitan Housing Trust, to be and in the supervision of activities residents at Chalkhill and those in neighbourhood. And it truly is a repaired and modernised by MHT throughout the lengthy development the immediate surrounding area for transformation. The old concrete while allowing residents to remain phase. This degree of resident their patience and forbearance over blocks have been replaced not council tenants if they wished. participation is considered normal the long and sometimes disruptive only with new and better homes This makes Chalkhill a complex practice today but was less usual development period. We hope you of a more traditional design and and groundbreaking scheme in the in the early days of such big will agree with us that the results scale, but also a safer and more way it is structured and financed. regeneration projects, when Chalkhill are plain to see and that all the pleasant neighbourhood, with The regeneration of Chalkhill has began. We would like to pay tribute time and effort that has gone into improved educational, health and received all party support from Brent to the many residents and other the regeneration of Chalkhill has community facilities. Council but regeneration on this community representatives who been very worthwhile. There are many unusual features scale could not have been achieved of the Chalkhill project. The by the council alone. The results you regeneration was carried out without can see today are testimony to the direct government funding, apart success of the exemplary partnership from the employment and training between the council, MHT, George programme and a small amount of Wimpey and most especially the shared ownership development. local community. Cllr Paul Lorber Neil Mawson Leader of Brent Council Managing Director of MHT London 2 Remaking Chalkhill Remaking Chalkhill 3 Introduction Chalkhill council estate The regeneration of Chalkhill has been an The vision for Chalkhill The newly formed Brent Council began building more traditional construction: 150 houses and 400 exercise in partnership between Brent Council, New Horizons’ objectives for the regeneration of Chalkhill estate in 1966 as a means of providing flats in four-storey blocks. Metropolitan Housing Trust (MHT) George Chalkhill were: additional new homes for rent, to alleviate poor Despite its bold and innovative design, the Bison Wimpey PLC and the local community who live • To provide high quality housing in a new, safe housing conditions in the Willesden area. The whole estate was soon a source of dissatisfaction for tenants. in the Chalkhill neighbourhood. A formal neighbourhood integrated within the North estate totalled over 1800 homes and was made up It became unpopular and hard to let. There were development agreement between the council Wembley area of two distinct phases and styles of development. problems with dampness, vermin, crime and anti- and New Horizons – the joint venture company The larger part was built as high rise concrete social behaviour. The design and layout of the estate • To create sustainable employment and a formed by MHT and Wimpey to carry out the blocks, which came to be known as the ‘Bison’ seemed to facilitate criminal activity and the estate prosperous local community regeneration work – was signed in July 1996 estate named after its building system. There were developed a reputation, no doubt exaggerated and twelve years later the final stage of the • To create a sense of ownership in the individual 30 blocks, mostly eight storeys high and all linked beyond the reality, as a crime-ridden, no-go area. The new development is under way. This seems homes and the environment by fully involving by continuous walkways – described as ‘space council made various attempts to improve security for like a good moment to take stock and report residents and the wider community in the design age streets in the sky’ in press reports at the time. residents, including removal of the walkway links on what has been achieved. and development of the new housing. The Bison estate provided 1280 flats with shops, between some blocks and the installation of CCTV a health centre, multi-storey car parks and play and ‘concierges’ or receptionists to control access. Regenerating a residential area is a huge responsibility, it is facilities in the green landscaped areas between This programme was extremely expensive and the the blocks. The low rise development now known as government questioned whether the improvements also a wonderful opportunity to make change for the better the Scientist estate contained about 550 homes of brought about were good value for money. Also a Involving the community individualise their new homes. Scientist residents Regenerating a residential area is a huge responsibility, identified the key areas of work needed for their Also a survey in 1992 showed tenants wanted a as the lengthy redevelopment process can be very homes and helped design the landscaping works. lot more to be done. So in 1993 the council initiated disruptive to people’s lives. It is also a wonderful A consultative forum – the Chalkhill Joint opportunity to make change for the better: new Development Board (JDB) – was set up at the a design competition, seeking proposals for a more homes for residents; a safer and more pleasant beginning of the project and met every quarter until radical solution for the whole estate. environment; improved local amenities; and increased its last meeting in 2007. The JDB was made up of local prosperity and wellbeing through educational, training residents and other community representatives, such and job opportunities. But this can only be achieved as ward councillors, the police, the local school and in partnership with the people most affected. the health centre. Together with its sub committees, it Involving the community has been key to the played an invaluable role in keeping the regeneration regeneration of Chalkhill from the start. Residents scheme in touch with local needs and interests. changed the master plan in the early consultations, As the development phase draws to a close, there bringing about a more traditional street pattern and will continue to be community involvement in the reducing the amount of development in some areas. management of the neighbourhood. A new residents’ Design groups were set up, so that residents could association was formed in 2007 to join the existing take part in the planning of their new homes in both leaseholders’ group and MHT holds regular meetings to the on-site and off-site developments. They agreed discuss performance and local concerns. And the body ‘menus’ from which families could choose their fixtures managing the new community centre is a charitable and fittings and decoration schemes, in order to trust, comprised of a majority of local residents. 4 Remaking Chalkhill Remaking Chalkhill 5 New homes to replace Bison flats Total replacement homes 1359 400 Council-funded housing association homes 520 New social housing on Chalkhill 150 New private housing on Chalkhill 252 New homes built off site Moving home 37 PropertiesOver purchased90% of the Before the Bison estate could be demolished all material from existing tenants had to be rehoused and the council the old blocks took on the task of finding them new homes. Rehousing began in 1995 and was not completed was recycled until the end of 2002. Tenants were given a rehousing package which offered them a choice: • Either to remain at Chalkhill and move into a new MHT home • Or to move away from Chalkhill into either an existing council property or a housing association property Bison tenants After assessing 37 The regeneration proposals Because many tenants would have to move before rehousing The proposals put forward by MHT and Wimpey and new homes could be built, choosing to stay at Total 1274 initial entries, five finalists Chalkhill meant accepting a temporary move before Casual vacancies include rent agreed by residents, the secretary of state and the arrears evictions, vacating were asked to prepare council were as follows: they could get their new permanent home. As a result without notice, moving to only about 150 original tenants now live in the new private accommodation detailed plans in consultation • Demolish the ‘Bison’ blocks and let MHT build new and deceased low rise homes on the land Chalkhill homes built by MHT. The rest moved to other with residents. properties around the borough as shown in the chart • Transfer ownership of the ‘Scientist’ estate to MHT above. All moves were negotiated with the tenants, for them to repair and modernise the existing homes with no-one being evicted through the courts. survey in 1992 showed tenants wanted a lot more to • Develop a major supermarket on part of the land 453 Council be done. So in 1993 the council initiated a design to provide money for the scheme competition, seeking proposals for a more radical 458 Housing association solution for the whole estate. • Develop some housing for sale to provide money Demolishing the Bison blocks 150 Chalkhill new homes After assessing 37 initial entries, five finalists were for the scheme and to give a mixture of housing 199 Casual vacancies asked to prepare detailed plans in consultation with types and tenures 24 Other residents.