PCH North Prospect Regeneration News - Summer 2015

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North Prospect Regeneration News Summer 2015

Big cheers for royal visitor Page 4

Inside this issue A new chapter for Routeways

Page 11

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Regeneration latest

Page 9

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Outdoor Fun in Ham Woods

Page 6

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Page 3

Events at your local Library

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North Prospect Regeneration News

Welcome!

You’ll no doubt be aware we recently had a VIP guest in Plymouth – none other than HRH the Princess Royal.

We’ve full coverage of her visit to the Beacon and lots of photos too of the special day.

You may have spotted our SO Living vans driving around the area. The PCH vans have been branded in SO Living colours to spread the word about shared ownership. To find out how you can get a foot on the housing ladder, turn to page eight.

North Prospect has a new resident – long-established charity Routeways. Find out where it’s relocating to on page nine.

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of There are updates from James er edition m m u s e h Savage on the regeneration and to t ewsletter Welcome n t c e new developments in the area and p s o North Pr updates on NPCL, North Prospect Library and the North Prospect Musuem. ..............................................................................................

Inside

3 Outdoor Fun in Ham Woods 4/5 Big cheers for royal visitor 6/7 North Prospect Regeneration

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8 Homes available at Hope Woods 9 Over 50’s ‘Spring Into’ action 10 Beacon Garden Project

11 The North Prospect Museum

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North Prospect Regeneration News

Outdoor Fun in Ham Woods

The community came together in Ham Woods to enjoy the outdoors and remember John Randall. John was the former chair of the Friends of Ham Woods and the day of events, exploring the natural world and a new seat were dedicated to his memory.

The day included mammal and flower surveys, foraging and nature talks and moth trapping and a bat walk.

Local resident Leanne Colwill used to play in the woods as a child and said: “The woods have improved so much recently and it’s a great place to come whatever the weather. I’ve got my children new wellies and they love to play outside.”

Young and old alike donned their boots for the wet wellie walk and the mucky fun continued with making clay green men. We donated litter picking equipment to the Friends of Ham Woods and were on hand with our trailer to offer housing support and advice.

The wildflower meadow was the setting for the John Randall bench dedication. Fittingly, the bench was made from a cherry tree from Ham Woods and is carved with a marbled white butterfly, one of John’s favourite species.

Liz Turner, from Trees for Health, carried out an outdoor cooking demonstration showing that nettles

can be eaten (if fried in batter) and that wild garlic flower tastes sweeter than the bulbs you may be familiar with.

She said: “Today is about people reconnecting with the woodland and being outside. There are health benefits to being outdoors and cooking on a fire is relaxing.”

Judges from the Green Flag Award were also in attendance to judge if Ham Woods was worthy of winning Plymouth’s first Green Flag Community Award.

Part of the criteria was for there to be an active community group and with an outdoor classroom, public art, sculptures, the wildflower meadow and all the natural elements such as the river, tree and plants it stands a good chance.

Jo Maddick, Regeneration Officer, said: ‘We were delighted to support their special day and be a part of it.

With two housing developments so close to Ham Woods, it’s important for us to be visible to the community and support local projects.”

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North Prospect Regeneration News

Big cheers for royal visitor

The crowds turned out in force when the Princess Royal visited North Prospect to officially open the Beacon.

Princess Anne toured the community hub, met locals and saw for herself the widespread regeneration of the area.

PCH Chief Executive Clive Turner and Chair of the Board Elaine Pellow showed HRH around the building and gave her a bird’s eye view of the development site from its roof.

On the terrace, she mingled with Beacon residents and learnt more about the area’s background from members of the North Prospect History Project.

resident – 87-year-old Gladys Tapper (see Gladys’s story opposite).

Clive and Elaine also showed their VIP guest North Prospect Library and introduced her to Beacon staff including the rangers who clean it and the PCSOs who police it.

Elaine said: “It was such a great honour and privilege to escort Her Royal Highness around The Beacon.

I was really nervous as I waited for her to arrive.

“Her manner was friendly and relaxed, so much so that once I got out my curtsy and welcome greeting and we started talking about the Beacon, my nerves just disappeared. She had the ability to make you feel at ease.

She then met dozens of residents and community figures in the building’s “The Princess Royal was amazingly atrium who told her what the area’s knowledgeable about the difficulties improvements meant to them. housing associations face today and clearly had an interest in what social They had earlier enjoyed a tea party housing offers. supplied by the Beacon Café alongside developers and children “She was also highly impressed with from nearby Mayflower School, what we had done at North Prospect who impressed the princess with a and our plans for the future. rendition of their school song.

“I thought it was so wonderful that she Before leaving, the Princess wanted to chat to so many tenants Royal unveiled the official plaque and and groups who use the Beacon and received a posy from a special you could see how pleased everyone

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plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk was to see her and to tell her a little about themselves.

“The visit was a fantastic success.”

North Prospect was designed to give those returning from WWI a decent place to live as part of the Homes for Heroes initiative.

North Prospect Regeneration News In 1932, Swilly School was formally opened by the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother), grandparents of the Princess Royal.

The North Prospect regeneration programme began in 2009 and is scheduled for completion in 2020.

It will create more than 1,000 new homes, replacing around 700 properties, plus a further 300 homes will be refurbished to exceed decent homes standards.

Clive said: “North Prospect tells the story of the journey of social housing from 1919 to the present day The area is no stranger to visiting and the changing views and attitudes Royalty – in 1921 the first sod of its towards large-scale developments. original development was turned by It has always been a significant the then Prince of Wales (later King place and we’re extremely pleased Edward VIII), great-uncle to the this continues to be recognised with Princess Royal, to mark the beginning The Princess Royal’s visit.” of the building of the ‘Swilly Estate’. ..............................................................................................

Trip down memory lane for Gladys

Most people are lucky to meet one member of royalty in their life – Gladys Tapper has met three.

North Prospect-born Gladys, 87, was one of the many residents invited to meet Princess Anne at the Beacon.

to me and asked me how I was and whether I liked it at the school and I told her I did. He was very quiet and didn’t speak very well but she seemed ever so nice.”

“People will have to curtsey to me soon!”

Gladys, pictured in the above photo front right in a flowery patterned But it wasn’t her first brush with the dress, had started at North Prospect royal family. In 1930’s, North Prospect School at two-and-a-half after paid host to the then Duke and following an older child from her home in Housing with Support owned by Duchess of York, later to be King in nearby Laurel Road to the school.

PCH. George and Queen Elizabeth (The Queen Mother).

She said: “They had little trestle Speaking about the recent visit by the beds for the children to rest so I just Princess Royal, she said: “Princess sneaked in there and went to sleep.”

Gladys was there to meet them and Anne said she was having a lovely she remembers the day well. day and enjoying her time in After marrying, Gladys moved to St Plymouth.

Budeaux and had eight children.

“I remember having to wear a nice She now has 14 grandchildren and dress to meet the lady,” she said, “People will have to curtsey to me 22 great grandchildren and lives “She was very nice to us and spoke soon!”

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North Prospect Regeneration

James Savage - Programme Manager - has the latest about the Regeneration Programme...

We have quite a bit to tell you in this update: progress in Phase 2, consultation for Phase 3, Phases 4 and 5 and other smaller sites that we are working on.

Phase 2 Barratts continue to build new homes in Phase 2. The first part (Phase 2.1) will complete over the summer and the remaining 159 homes in Phase 2.2 will be built by the end of March 2017.

In total, Phase 2 will comprise 347 new homes – 174 owned by us and 173 for sale by Barratts.

Phase 3 A lot has happened since the last update. Along with Kier Living, we hosted a joint consultation event at the Beacon in June which was very well attended.

Residents gave us a lot of feedback on the scheme and we will consider your comments as we draw up the final plans for Phase 3.

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Residents told us that: • They agreed with the proposed layout.

• They agreed with the mix of houses and flats.

• They agreed with the mix of allocated and non-allocated parking.

If you would like to see the consultation materials please follow this link: http://www.plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk/getting-a-home/ development/ There is still a lot to do before we can finalise the plans for Phase 3,

for example: • Agree which homes will belong to PCH and which will be for sale.

• Agree the location and size of underground rainwater tanks on the site.

We have started the pre-demolition phase of the scheme and wait to see if we break the North Prospect slow worm record in Phase 3.

Phase 3 milestone dates: • September 2015 PCH makes planning application • November / December 2015 planning decision • December 2015 / January 2016 start on site • November 2017 scheme completes Phases 4 and 5 Lots of residents have been getting in touch with us to ask about Phases 4 and 5 of the new build programme and we know that some of you will be concerned following the general election and recent budget.

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North Prospect Regeneration News

Phase 2 will comprise 347 new homes The four most frequently asked questions are:

October to let them know our plans for taking Phases 4 and 5 forward.

Q. When will Phases 4 and 5 start?

A: PCH’s programme shows that we will start moving residents from Phase 4 in April 2016 with Phase 5 to follow in 2017.

If you want to discuss Phase 4 or Phase 5 please do get in touch with PCH. Call our freephone 08000 327100 or e-mail development@ plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk. We are always happy to talk to you about the regeneration programme.

Q. Does PCH have the money to do Phase 4 and Phase 5?

A: We are currently working with both Plymouth City Council and the Homes and Communities Agency to identify sources of funding for Phase 4 (cost over £20 million) and Phase 5 (cost over £12 million). We always have to bid for funds for North Prospect new build schemes.

Q. Do you have planning permission for Phase 4 and Phase 5?

A: No we don’t – this is completely normal and exactly what happened on Phases 1,2 and 3.

Q. When will we find out more about PCH plans for Phases 4 and 5?

A: We will come back to residents in

that the parade of shops on North Prospect Road will not be demolished and redeveloped.

The former housing office has been let to Routeways (more on page nine) and there has been a lot of interest in the former Sure Start Shop.

Hope Woods The 17 new homes at Hope Woods on Ham Drive will complete in August. Housing Award nomination This is exciting as it is our first site outside North Prospect and we are already taking reservations on our SO Living Shared Ownership homes.

I am pleased to let you know that the North Prospect Regeneration Laurel Road Programme has been nominated for a Coyde Construction is building three national housing award – in new homes for PCH on this site. recognition of the work undertaken to The homes are highly insulated improve the neighbourhood over the timber-framed houses that are clad past five years. with a cement- based panel system.

• This scheme is on course to We can’t say anything more just yet; complete in October. but we hope to hear if we have been shortlisted for the award by the end of North Prospect Road shops August. Keep your fingers crossed – We have recently made a change to it could be us. our programme and we can tell you

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Homes available at Hope Woods

We’ve launched the sale of our two-bedroom homes on the picturesque site at Hope Woods.

The homes, built by Kier Living, feature two double bedrooms, a family bathroom, spacious lounge, contemporary kitchen/diner, downstairs WC, private gardens and allocated parking.

Properties are available on a shared ownership basis and can be purchased for a minimum 40% share.

Hope Woods Price Guide:

Plot 7 & 9 - 2 bedroom end terraced home with 1 parking space Full value £154,000, 40% share £61,600 Typical rent £207.90 per month plus services charges

Plot 8 - 2 bedroom mid terraced home with 1 parking space Full value £152,000, 40% share £60,800 Typical rent £205.20 per month plus service charges.

The homes are available from August .

our t for ch u o e hi an ey es w Keep om hom soon to ro le 3 bed e availab plan. b ff o e will has purc

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Homes available at PL2 SO Living are also selling 2 bedroom homes on the PL2 Development.

PL2 Price Guide: Plot 442 – 2 bedroom semi-detached home with 2 parking spaces Full value £152,000, 50% share £76,000 Rent £171.00 per month plus service charge Plot 450, 451, 455 and 456 – 2 bedroom semi-detached home with 2 spaces Full value £153,000, 50% share £76,500 Rent £172.13 pcm plus service charge

For more information, please call our Sales Team on 0800 077 8748 or to view all the homes we have available, visit our website at www.plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @SOLivingPlym.

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North Prospect Regeneration News

Plymouth’s over 50s ‘Spring Into’ action Local residents welcomed advice and support at a recent event held at The Beacon. The ‘Spring Into’ event aimed to help people over 50 find out about employment, training, and volunteering opportunities in the city.

The Beacon has already seen hundreds of people attend events, workshops, activities and groups and this event was no different with more than 80 people turning up.

The event was supported by a range of organisations such as Mi-space, Learn Direct, Plymouth Timebank, North Prospect Community Learning, Plymouth Library Service, Working Links, Job Centre Plus, and Outset among others.

Advisors from Livewell from Plymouth Community Healthcare talked to people about the risks of sun damage and carried out skin assessments and Plymouth Community Energy spoke to people about how they could save money on their fuel bills.

Residents’ feedback was very positive; many found the stands useful and informative and one man said how it was a real ‘confidence boost’ to have an event aimed at the over 50s.

Michelle Cole, Community Engagement Manager for Mi-space, said: “It’s great to take part in organising and to attend events like this; it gives us a great opportunity to engage with the local community.

“People who attended the event seemed to be surprised about the number of opportunities they had available to them.”

available to them. Everyone who attended had the opportunity to be entered into a free prize draw to win ‘love2shop’ vouchers donated

by Mi-space. Congratulations to the winners: Peter Best, David Steer and Bridgitte Brigden.”

Citizens Online – a national charity set up to tackle the issues of digital inclusion – ran interactive sessions “People who attended the event to support people with online job seemed to be surprised about the searches and the use of social media. number of opportunities they had ..............................................................................................

A new chapter for Routeways including onsite parking.

Routeways offers advice and guidance on tax credits, benefits, childcare, family support, and help for victims of crime.

A popular Plymouth charity which has helped hundreds of city families over the years is moving to North Prospect.

Routeways is relocating its offices and drop-in centre to North Prospect Road, in the site of our former PCH housing office.

Routeways, which runs a number of projects for families, children and young people, is leaving Mount Wise after 18 years.

Mark Collings, Business Manager for Routeways, said: “It will be a very positive move for us to be based in such a great community. We will be close to the new Beacon Community Hub at the heart of North Prospect.

“Having spent a lot of my childhood visiting grandparents in Foliot Avenue, it’s a bit like coming home. I am really excited about the move.”

Some of the services Routeways delivers include the Family Information Service, Victim Care and Advice Plymouth.

The organisation has hailed the move as a ‘great opportunity’, saying staff will be closer to current clients – with the added bonus of better facilities,

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North Prospect Regeneration News

A chuckleberry is one of the more unusually-named fruits to have been planted at The Beacon.

Officer, said: “It’s been great to see people come together to take part in this planting.

The plant – a cross between a currant, a josterberry and a gooseberry – is thought to be among the first of its kind to be grown in the city.

“In total during the gardening sessions, four cherry trees, a crab apple, a plum, a gage and three apple trees have been planted. We’ve also got two grape vines, tayberries, loganberries, blueberries, blackberries and currants as well as herbs and flowers.

It’s one of dozens of plants which have been planted by local people around The Beacon.

Residents have been working with edible landscapes designer Tess Wilmot to plant fruit trees, bushes, herbs and flowers.

The project, funded by the Big Green Space Challenge and supported by Plymouth Community Homes, includes gardening advice and support for a year.

Bulbs were planted last November to create lots of spring colour and new wooden raised beds on the roof terrace were funded by PCH’s Money Tree Fund.

Once local people shared their ideas, a design was drawn up and the trees were ordered and last month the community came together to plant them.

Jo Maddick, PCH Regeneration

Over the summer, the gardening sessions will continue to build upon the work already achieved, share skills and nurture the new trees and plants so they will grow well.

“The aim is to eventually produce lots of fruit for the community and build gardening skills. We’re also asking for ideas on how best to use the fruit.

If anyone has any tasty recipe ideas, please let us know.”

Garden workshops take place every month and everyone is welcome to join them.

For more information, contact Jo on 01752 388263 or Tess on 07531 506481 or email tess@tesswilmot.eclipse.co.uk.

North Prospect Community Learning

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Beacon Garden Project

NPCL may no longer be in the former North Prospect School but it’s still supplying its mix of activities and training from a new site round the corner.

While it’s still focused on job hunting, computer skills, literacy and maths, a range of creative activities are also on offer from its base at the rear of the Engage Church in St Levan Road.

The Creative Craft group is held every Thursday from 10am to 12pm where you can learn how to make useful household items – everything from cushion covers to bags.

You can also find out more about traditional needlework and upcycling – reusing unwanted items by making them into something better.

Work-related courses include Computing for Job Hunters and Communication Skills for Interviews.

There’s also a monthly craft fair and car boot sale at the Engage Church in St Levan Road.

For more information call 01752 551862.

NPCL has also been getting out and about – by leading computer courses at our Plumer House offices in Crownhill.

The PCH Computer Club runs from 1pm to 4pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

A friendly NPCL tutor is on hand to answer any questions you may have.

There are desktop computers, laptops and tablets for your use.

You can also bring your own device and use our free wifi. Pop along or call 0800 917 9457 or 01752 388215 to find out more.

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North Prospect Regeneration News

Events at your local library

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The North Prospect Museum

North Prospect Library, located in the Beacon, is once again running the Summer Reading Challenge.

Children aged 4 to 11 pick six books to read during the holidays and there are rewards for every two books read.

Visitors from across the city came to North Prospect during Plymouth’s History month in May to take a look at the museum in Cookworthy Road.

The empty home was passed over to the History Project in January to be transformed into a museum.

Volunteers from 2PLY Time Bank, Tomorrow’s People, the Community Payback Team and FreeSpirit Youth Group got stuck in with painting, gardening and cleaning to help get the exhibits ready for opening.

The impressive renovation saw the downstairs area turned into a 1940s time warp with the living room set out with authentic furniture and fittings.

Photographs covering the walls illustrate how North Prospect has changed over the last 80 years from royal visits and community events at the Halycon Centre to bonfires on Cookworthy Green.

Press cuttings, carefully collected by a local resident, are laid out on the dining table. The rear garden continues the 1940s theme displaying a war time Anderson shelter and vegetable patch – which is growing real food!

It also has a pet cemetery dedicated to three dogs owned by a previous tenant.

The upstairs exhibits capture the

regeneration element of North Prospect really well. Sections of wallpaper from local houses have been saved and put into picture frames and a wall in a back bedroom is covered entirely by the image of a matured front garden, all green and bushy.

A smaller bedroom has photographs of the demolition phase where buildings are torn apart leaving internal rooms exposed to the elements.

The museum has been a huge success with more than 100 people visiting it in May alone. It will stay open for the time being – every Tuesday from 1pm to 3pm.

Project Manager Tina Tuohy said: “The North Prospect History Group has been overwhelmed and very touched by the response we’ve had from visitors to the museum.

“It has brought back all kinds of memories happy and sad for people who have shared them with us. We’ve also been given some amazing artefacts such as a copy of the first tenancy for the house in May 1928.

“We’ve also been given a piece of one of the rafters of a house in Woodhey which has a bullet embedded in it from World War II. Many thanks to PCH for loaning us the house and to all our visitors.”

A member of staff will go in to schools in the Autumn to present certificates to those who’ve completed the challenge.

To support the challenge, there will be craft activities in the library every Wednesday in August from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

There’s lots going on at the library. It has recently started up a job club with help from us and NPCL to help people with application forms, CVs, and job searches. This runs from 10am to 12pm every Monday.

Other regular events which take place in the library include: • Basic IT sessions every Monday from 1pm to 3pm (these need to be booked by calling 398138) • Stop Smoking Clinic run by the Livewell team every Friday 9am to 11am • Carer’s Hub meetings run by Age UK on the third Wednesday of the month from 1pm to 3pm • Feel Better with a Book (shared reading for adults) every Wednesday from 10am to 11.30am • Rhyme Time every Tuesday from 2.15pm to 2.45pm • Story Time every Thursday from 2.15pm to 2.45pm • Chatterbooks (a reading group for children aged 8-12) every third Monday from 3.30pm to 4.30pm

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Contact Numbers

Repairs: 0808 230 6500

If you want to speak to us, this is how to get in touch:

Out of hours repairs: 0800 917 9459

North Prospect Regeneration Team: 08000 327 100 or email: npr@plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk

Housing with Support Team: 0800 917 9452

North Prospect Housing Team: 0800 917 9499 Sales Team: 0800 0778 748 or email: sales@plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk

Communities Team: 0800 917 9457 Debit/Credit Card Payment Line: 0844 557 8321 City Centre Shop: 01752 389778

Plymouth Community Homes Plumer House Tailyour Road, Crownhill Plymouth PL6 5DH T

0800 6943101

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info@plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk

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Community Benefit Society registration No: 30637R

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