HALTON Housing Trust is to invest £40million over the next five years improving neighbourhoods in Runcorn and Widnes.
The Trust’s ‘Beyond The Garden Gate’ programme will see money spent on projects that are influenced by people living in the community.
Trust Chief Executive Nick Atkin said: “Our approach is to build and invest in the communities across Halton and this programme is one of the key ways in which we will make this happen.
“We have already spent £100million improving our customers’ homes over the past five years. However this next phase of investment will produce benefits to a much wider range of people living in Runcorn and Widnes.”
Through inclusive consultation with a neighbourhood, the issues that affect people living there will be identified, thereby enabling the Trust to target its investment and resources to make the biggest impact. Over the next five years everyone including any local groups from the 14 identified Neighbourhoods will have the opportunity to get involved and decide what improvements they believe are needed in the community.
The concept has been piloted in West Bank where existing community facilities have been improved to help support local people to deliver activities in their communities, as well as various works to St Mary’s Church.
A number of environmental improvement projects have also taken place with initiatives, such as ‘adopt a plot’ getting off the ground.
Funds could be spent on anything from community clean ups of green areas, improvements to existing community facilities or boundary and fencing upgrades. The project will be individual and specific to each area, improvements and spend will not be determined until the team is in the area and talking to residents.
Kelly McKeown, Neighbourhood Regeneration Officer with the Trust, said: “This is a really exciting project as we are asking residents to get involved to determine how their local area looks and feels.
“Although during these difficult times a number of organisations are reducing the amount of money they are able to invest in these communities, we are doing something different which offers a chance for everyone to get involved. The feedback so far has been fantastic.”
The Trust has also confirmed that Apollo Property Services Group, G&J Seddon Ltd, Herbert T Forrest Ltd and the Trust’s own Construction Services Team have been selected as the contractors to carry out the works.
Mike Edwards, Divisional Director, Apollo Property Services Group said: “We are really excited to have the opportunity to work with Halton Housing Trust on such an innovative and worthwhile project. We look forward to demonstrating Apollo’s strengths, not just operationally, but also in leaving a lasting legacy for the local community through the initiative.”
As part of the work being undertaken the Trust will be working closely with the contractors to deliver identified projects for reinvesting back into the local community. As well as cash, this could also see them donating community hours to improve the environmental look and feel of an area.
Contractors are also keen to employ local people, provide apprenticeship places and liaise with Riverside College to provide workplace training opportunities.
Since transfer five years ago, the Trust has spent £100 million bringing its 6,150 homes in Runcorn and Widnes up to the Decent Homes standard, a massive project that was successfully completed 14 months ahead of schedule.
Now the next stage in its mission is to improve communities ‘beyond the garden gate’.
“We are very proud of our record so far and the difference we have made” said Nick Atkin.
“Our work does not stop now, though. The next phase will see a massive and longlasting benefit to for a number of the communities across Halton.”