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Report to Burngreave Area Panel re Mixed Communities
The Burngreave “Mixed Communities” Project
1.0 Aims
The following paper sets out the approach of Burngreave New Deal for Communities and Sheffield City Council to providing a mixed community in Burngreave. The paper considers the Government’s perspective, the local context and achievements so far. The paper goes on to identify areas where more can be done to ensure the ideal of a mixed community is realised in Burngreave.
In particular the paper identifies the need to develop a mixed community prospectus for Burngreave. This prospectus will identify the key elements of the project and how it will be delivered. The overall aim of the mixed communities initiative is to reduce poverty in a given area.
2.0 Introduction
ODPM have identified Bungreave as a Mixed Community project area, as it fits their criteria (see Section 3.1) and has made good progress in addressing comprehensive regeneration challenges via a partnership approach. Government are asking Sheffield City Council and Burngreave New Deal for Communities to join a national initiative that is in its formative stage.
The Mixed Communities project does not attract additional funding, but will bring freedoms and flexibility for delivering existing regeneration programmes. It is of benefit to Sheffield City Council and Burngreave New Deal for Communities to be included at the start of the mixed communities programme to help shape and direct emerging Government policy.
In particular, Sheffield City Council anticipates extending the freedoms and flexibilities contained within its City Wide Local Area Agreement for the Burngreave area. The Mixed Community project is consistent with the principles informing Sheffield City Council’s successful Neighbourhoods approach.
The Mixed Community project will allow Sheffield to further develop successful Neighbourhoods by considering what it would take to create a dynamic and mixed community in Burngreave.
3.0 Context
3.1 National Context
The promotion of mixed income communities is a key feature of the Governments approach to creating sustainable communities in successful neighbourhoods. ODPM is seeking to support partnerships to overcome obstacles and assure effective delivery through a series of projects. See Appendix 1 for further information on ODPM’s expectations of the mixed communities programme. Broadly, the Mixed Communities approach is embodied within three objectives:
· Major changes to the housing stock and tenure/income mix
· Improvements to the environment and quality of local schools and retail/leisure facilities
· Action to tackle worklessness, low educational attainment, poor health, crime and anti-social behaviour.
Alongside the aim to create successful mixed communities, cities are being asked within their City Region Development Plans (CRDP's) to illustrate the role that housing and communities will play in supporting the Northern Way agenda. Across the North, the challenge is to make a step change towards the replacement of existing housing with high quality aspirational homes that will attract and retain investors and workers in our neighbourhoods. To achieve this we must find ways of making existing resources, particularly land value, work much harder.
3.2 Local Context
In Sheffield, the principles, which underpin the Mixed Communities ethos and Northern Way objectives, resonate strongly with our aim to create successful neighbourhoods across the whole of the City. They have an excellent fit with the aspirations outlined within the Safer, Stronger Communities section of the Sheffield First Agreement, in particular the LAA’s aims to build a strong, dynamic and prosperous economy and to build successful neighbourhoods by closing the gap between our most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of the City through major transformational change.
From April 2006 the Mixed Communities project will offer a basis for planning children’s service provision within the framework of service districts. The Council has restructured to align its housing and regeneration activity with community care services into a Neighbourhoods and Community Care Directorate to drive the mixed communities agenda forward.
The activities and programmes that are driving the transformation of Sheffield’s neighbourhoods have been captured within a Neighbourhoods Business Plan that sets out a 10 year vision to be realised through the delivery of key projects that are targeted to attract £1.6 billion of mixed public and private investment.
4.0 What we are doing in Burngreave
4.1 Why is Burngreave a Mixed Community project?
Burngreave was identified as a mixed community project as Government were convinced that along with the other 10 projects, it clearly demonstrates the following:
- It contains concentrations of neighbouring super output areas1 among the 1% most deprived in England.
- It has a high proportion of social housing and housing stock, which is conducive to redevelopment as a mixed community.
- It has the potential to secure the necessary funding from the Private Sector and mainstream housing and regeneration programmes.
- Partners demonstrate a commitment to inter-agency and cross-sectional partnership to drive through long-term transformational change.
- The key partners are committed to working with central and regional Government alongside other demonstration projects.
A summary of the Burngreave area and its characteristics is attached at Appendix 3 of this report.
4.2 Partners delivering a mixed community in Burngreave
The key partners taking a lead for the Mixed Community initiative in Burngreave are the City Council and Burngreave New Deal for Communities. Both organisations have accountable governance structures and are already committed to full engagement and participating with the local community.
Significant other partners who are already involved in delivery elements of mixed community projects are:
- Sheffield Homes – Housing and estate management of Council stock plus Neighbourhood Warden Scheme
- South Yorkshire Police – Community Policing Team
- Burngreave Business Forum – Co-ordinating efforts of existing local businesses
- Private Developers – To be selected through Sheffield City Council developer panel for development of 400+ homes (Developer Panel for Housing Market Renewal (HMR) Areas (July 2005).
4.3 Key features of the demonstration project in Burngreave
The Mixed Community demonstration project includes planned public expenditure of approx £30.7 million investment into Burngreave over the next 4 years (2006-2010). This investment is made up of public and private monies.
Overall the project will deliver more than 400 new homes on 4 main sites and transformation of the local shopping centre.
Footnote
- Super output areas are a new geography for the collection and publication of small area statistics. The Office of National Statistics is replacing the use of ward boundaries with SOA’s in an effort to standardise and improve data collection.
In line with the existing regeneration strategy set out in the Burngreave/Fir Vale Masterplan (25.05.2005) and the Burngreave New Deal for Communities delivery plan, the key features of the Burngreave Mixed Communities project will be:
- Greater mix of housing type and tenure:
Over 400 new homes will provide properties for sale on the open market (75%) and affordable homes (25%). The sites for these new homes have been created from demolition of Council homes. High quality design will be ensured by engaging developers of national repute through the Sheffield City Council developer panel and also by making use of Transform South Yorkshire’s designer panel. - Comparable improvements to the surrounding neighbourhood, local schools and retail/leisure facilities:
The transformation of Spital Hill district centre into a culturally diverse shopping destination of choice will form the bedrock of the new Burngreave. Work has already started on the new inner relief road, which will remove congestion from Spital Hill. Work is also due to commence on the creation of a Community Learning Centre in the restored Vestry Hall.
The office market will get a great boost from the multi-million improvement of Sorby House, again starting in early 2006. Finally, a major supermarket will be attracted to an identified site to complement the shopping offer at Spital Hill.
Educational attainment has improved significantly over the recent years in Burngreave as a result of a dedicated partnership approach from Sheffield City Council and Burngreave New Deal for Communities. In particular, attainment by pupils from minority ethnic/BME backgrounds has improved at a faster rate than the city average for this group. It is important to continue this improvement and consider how the mixed communities project can help towards this aim.
There is a need to secure additional primary school places within Burngreave to ensure the 400 new households are able to school their children locally. - Improved connectivity to the city and employment opportunities:
The Burngreave transport plan will improve the connectivity of Burngreave and its residents with the rest of the city.
Sheffield City Council and Burngreave New Deal for Communities have developed a ‘one stop shop’, which will allow existing and future residents to play an economically active part in the mixed community by identifying and delivering training that leads to jobs for local people. - Pathways for disadvantaged residents to access opportunities:
Although it is early days, the Burngreave Business Forum is keen to realise the benefits of a successful Local Economic Growth Initiative for Sheffield. Spital Hill is an ideal area to promote entrepreneurial activity and tap into resources within the resurgent ecomony.
Both the City Council and Burngreave New Deal for Communities are keen to assist the business community to create a distinct business destination that offer opportunities for local residents to gain sustainable employment and further contribute to the success of Burngreave. - High quality homes and neighbourhood management:
The City Council, Burngreave New Deal for Communities, Sheffield Homes and SY Police have created a dramatic turn around in incidents and fear of crime in Burngreave. Neighbourhood Wardens have worked with the community policing team to restore confidence in the area. The Mixed Community initiative will ensure a focus is maintained on this critical area and a realistic and sustainable exit strategy is implemented.
High quality preventative services:
Burngreave has welcomed the development of Sheffield’s newest Sure Start Centre on Spital Hill. The support and guidance offered from the centre will help ensure future residents have the skills and responsibilities to make Burngreave a success. Burngreave is also one of the four areas in the city where the city’s Health and Wellbeing Partnership has proposed the development of a business case based and substantially enhanced public health programme as part of Sheffield’s Local Area Agreement.
Through this, public services such as the Local Authority, Primary Care Trust and Burngreave New Deal for Communities, are working closely with their community, voluntary, faith and private partners to change how services are delivered and paid for, focusing on specific health outcomes. - Alignment of the above features
The Mixed Communities approach will involve close collaboration between all key partners, to ensure that activity within the Burngreave area is cohesive and complementary.
5.0 Boundary
The proposed boundary for the mixed community initiative is that outlined at Appendix 2(b) of this report.
5.1 Area of interest
The Boundary for the whole Mixed Communities project is the Burngreave Ward (see Appendix 2a). The impact of the mixed community programme will be considered across the ward boundaries. There are some 10,308 homes and 22,963 residents living within the Burngreave ward (figures from Census 2001)2. The impact of the Mixed Community Project will be monitored via the existing Sheffield Neighbourhoods Information System (see Appendix 3).
5.2 Area of influence
The smaller ‘Burngreave Masterplan’ boundary will be used for the area of influence of the Mixed Community project (see Appendix 2b). This boundary includes the Burngreave New Deal for Communities area and the Burngreave element of the Burngreave/Fir Vale Masterplan. The boundary is consistent with ODPM objectives for the mixed communities programme (ie, it is an area containing around 11,000 residents).
It is within this smaller boundary that the Council and its partners will seek to exert their influence to help deliver the mixed communities programme. In practice this means the Council and its partners will seek freedoms and flexibilities for regeneration programme delivery within the area of influence.
6.0 Advantages of the mixed communities approach
The Mixed Communities programme will bring many benefits for the Burngreave area, principally arrived at through increased freedoms and flexibility for existing funding streams. Freedoms and flexibilities will be explored through the development of a mixed communities prospectus for Burngreave. Key freedoms and flexibilities to be considered are:
- Better alignment of funding streams (ie, HMR, Decent Homes, NRF, NDC).
- Council’s/Almo’s developing new homes for sale/rent.
- Delivery and funding neighbourhood centres.
- Restrictions on asylum seekers re-housed via the NASS contract with the Home Office.
- Removal of stamp duty for house sales.
- Increased flexibility on eligible service charges for Housing Benefit purposes.
- Retaining business rates for them to be invested within the Burngreave area.
Footnote 2. These are 'best estimates' as Census Output Areas (the areas on which the Census data is collected and held) do not match the new ward boundaries. |
7.0 Consultation
The Mixed Community programme for Burngreave is based on existing programmes that have been developed via extensive consultation arrangements (as listed below). However, as this is a new initiative, it will require development. Key partners will be consulted on the development of the Burngreave Mixed Communities Prospectus prior to it being submitted to the ODPM. In particular, the Burngreave Area Panel will be asked to endorse the prospectus prior to submission to the ODPM.
The Mixed Community initiative has also benefited from the extensive consultation undertaken by developing and implementing the Burngreave/Fir Vale Masterplan Cabinet Report (25.05.2005), Relocation Loans for HMR Area Cabinet Report (14.09.2005), Spital Hill Supermarket Cabinet Report (25.01.2006), Catherine Street Redevelopment Cabinet Report (25.01.2006), Disposal of 122-168 Catherine Road for HA development Cabinet Report (08.02.2006) and Developer Panel for Housing Market Renewal (HMR) Areas (July 2005).
Each of the above projects are consistent parts of the Council’s approach to creating a mixed community in Burngreave.
8.0 Mixed Communities Prospectus for Burngreave
It is proposed that Sheffield City Council and Burngreave New Deal for Communities jointly develop a ‘mixed community’ prospectus for Burngreave for submission to ODPM. The prospectus will set out:
§ The key elements of a mixed community in Burngreave
§ The existing elements of the plan
§ The gaps in the existing plan
§ Requirements of partners
§ Requirements of Government
It is anticipated that this prospectus will be presented to the Burngreave Area Panel for approval in Autumn 2006.
9.0 Financial Implications
There are no immediate financial implications arising from this report. The ODPM have advised that the mixed communities programme does not attract any additional monies at this stage, however, ODPM are inviting suggestions from the 11 project areas as to what they would invest any new funding in should it become available.
It is proposed that Sheffield propose any new funding through the mixed communities programme should be used to support existing projects identified in the Burngreave/Fir Vale Masterplan to complete and compliment existing funding plans.
10.0 Equalities Impact
An Equality Impact Assessment has been undertaken for the proposals set out in this report and is available on request. The EIA found that all equality issues within the report were addressed and there were no outstanding issues.
11.0 Human Rights Implications
There are no Human Rights implications arising from the recommendations of this report (European Convention on Human Rights).
12.0 Conclusion
The Mixed Community project status for Burngreave is welcomed by Sheffield City Council and Burngreave New Deal for Communities.
The project status will focus national attention on the existing regeneration effort in Burngreave and ensure key partners plans work collectively to transform the area.
The Mixed Community project will oversee the development of more than 400 new homes and radical improvement of the Spital Hill district centre. These key physical developments will be supported by a range of support initiatives for the existing and future communities.
The Council has a ready-made monitoring system in the Sheffield Neighbourhood Information System.
There are a number of ways in which Government can help Sheffield deliver a mixed community in Burngreave.
The Council and Burngreave New Deal for Communities will need to produce a prospectus for Burngreave’s mixed community in order to confirm Sheffield’s intentions to ODPM and other key partners.
13.0 Recommendations
13.1 That Cabinet note and approve the contents of this report.
13.2 That Cabinet approve the selection of Burngreave as Sheffield’s mixed community project area.
13.4 The Executive Director, Neighbourhoods & Community Care in consultation with Cabinet member, is authorised to prepare a Burngreave Mixed Communities prospectus for submission to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
David Shepherd
Programme Director, Sheffield City Council, Neighbourhoods & Community Care
Appendix 1 – ODPM Mixed Communities Prospectus |
Mixed Communities: terms of engagement between ODPM and Demonstration Projects
This note provides background information on the Mixed Communities Initiative and outlines Government’s objectives in setting it up. It summarises the criteria for selecting the Demonstration Projects, the key features that will be common to all, the outcomes we expect them to deliver and how the Projects will be managed. Finally, it sets out ODPM’s role in providing support, helping to overcome obstacles and assuring effective delivery.
Summary
1. The promotion of mixed income communities is a key feature of the ODPM’s approach to creating sustainable communities. This approach is not new – it has been an objective of many previous and existing programmes. However, this initiative will bring a fresh impetus.
2. Through 11 Demonstration Projects the Initiative will test out comprehensive approaches to neighbourhood renewal that involve
§ Major changes to the housing stock and tenure / income mix
§ Improvements to the surrounding environment and quality of local schools and retail / leisure facilities
§ Action to reduce joblessness, low educational achievement, poor health, crime & anti-social behaviour.
3. Each project will be driven by a well-resourced delivery team. Developers will be challenged to deliver high quality, tenure-blind designs that will attract residents with choice. There will be active resident involvement and accountable governance systems. Some form of neighbourhood management will be developed to ensure high standards of behaviour (from residents) and service delivery (from providers) are set and maintained. ODPM will provide support and specialist advice.
The Mixed Communities Initiative: background
4. Successive Government Initiatives have sought to reduce the effects of poverty in the most deprived areas and to ensure that everyone has access to decent home. Most recently, the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal and Sustainable Communities Plan have set out a comprehensive, long term package of measures designed to tackle the problems of the most deprived areas and create thriving, inclusive, sustainable communities. Much has been achieved in improving public services and key outcomes in the most deprived places.
5. Despite this progress, there are still areas where there are concentrations of acute disadvantage. Often, they are characterised by single tenure housing, high proportions of families on benefits or low incomes and disproportionate levels of crime, drug misuse, underachievement and poor heath. They suffer from high levels of economic activity and poor access to jobs and services. Conventional efforts to regenerate such places sustainably rarely succeed.
6. This is because of the “area effect”. There is considerable evidence from the UK and US that poor people who live in very poor areas do less well than they would if they lived in less poor areas. This because poor schools, lack of job networks, a poor physical environment, high crime and a culture of low aspirations compound their poverty and make it much more difficult for them to succeed.
7. It follows, therefore, that strategies to regenerate these neighbourhoods should include measures to create more mixed income communities. This means attracting and retaining households who have choice where they live. This will often require transformational change: selective demolition and rebuild and / or major refurbishment in order to create a range of housing types and tenures of high quality, alongside a more attractive neighbourhood with better schools and reduced levels of crime and the fear of crime.
8. Previous housing and regeneration programmes have included tenure and income diversification. The Mixed Communities Initiative aims to build on what has gone before but to go further and faster to achieve genuine and sustainable change in some of the country’s most disadvantaged areas. It aims to tackle the concentrations of deprivation themselves as well as improving public services and stimulating economic development. It is, in part, stimulated by the success of the US HOPE VI Programme.
9. This work brings together ODPM’s housing and neighbourhood renewal strategies to ensure that we tackle disadvantage comprehensively. The Treasury and other Government Departments will also be closely involved. A high level ODPM Steering Group has been set up to guide the initiative.
Mixed Communities Demonstration Projects
10. Eleven demonstration projects have been identified on the basis of the following criteria:
· They contain concentrations of neighbouring Super Output Areas among the 1% most deprived in England
· They have a high proportion of social housing and a housing stock which is conducive to redevelopment as a mixed community
· They have the potential to secure the necessary funding from the private sector and mainstream housing and regeneration programmes
· They are committed to inter-agency and cross-sectional partnership to drive through long-term transformational change
· They are committed to working with central and regional government and alongside other demonstration projects
11. The work is led by local stakeholders in close co-operation with senior officials from Government Offices and ODPM.
12. No extra funding is currently available to demonstration projects. Costs will be met through accessing private sector finance and existing housing and regeneration funding streams and by maximising effective use of assets. However, ODPM is assessing the costs involved in delivering sustainable mixed communities and will support Projects as they seek to access additional finance through existing routes.
Mixed Communities Demonstration Projects: Key Features
13. While each project will reflect particular local needs, there are some key features that we will expect each of them to incorporate in their planning. These include:
· A much greater mix of housing type and tenure, of a quality that will attract and retain a genuinely mixed income community, preferably involving ‘pepper-potting’ and tenure-blind housing design or else through other means ensuring that a sustainable mixed community develops
· Comparable improvements to the quality of the surrounding neighbourhood, local schools and retail / leisure facilities
· Improved connectivity to the city and employment opportunities through neighbourhood design, transport and job access services
· Pathways for disadvantaged residents to access opportunities and secure support and advice
· High quality housing and neighbourhood management through which high standards of behaviour (from residents) and service delivery (from providers) are set and maintained
· High quality preventive services to support at-risk families and maintain low levels of anti social behaviour and offending
So that as a result, there is (a) a strengthening of market demand and rise in property values; (b) significantly improved performance against national and local targets, including national floor targets, LAA targets and quality of life indicators; (c) there is a likely chance of a positive “area effect” taking hold, improving the life chances for individuals as well as outcomes for the area as a whole.
Mixed Communities Demonstration Projects: Management
14. Again, while each project will reflect local circumstances, we expect them to reflect best practice in managing comprehensive renewal projects of this kind. These include:
· Each project will be an integral component of its area’s broader Sustainable Communities Strategy, driven by a well-resourced delivery team, working to a project plan and with senior level local authority backing.
· Sources of funding will have been identified with a strong likelihood that resources will be forthcoming
· They will build on the work that local authorities with tenants have already done in deciding the most appropriate delivery route for meeting decent homes.
· There will be active, extensive resident involvement throughout each project.
· There will be representative, accountable governance systems to ensure inclusive, active and effective participation by individuals and organisations.
· Senior representatives of all relevant local public service agencies will be actively involved throughout each project to ensure that local services are improved and residents’ life-chances are enhanced
· Developers will be challenged in each case to deliver high quality, tenure-blind designs that will attract residents with choice.
· There will be a clear economic and community development strategy at the heart of each development to ensure that they work with existing communities to address structural weaknesses in the local economy.
· With the agreement of Projects, ODPM will invite independent specialists to advise on the content of each project plan.
15. This is a high profile initiative for ODPM and the Office wishes to remain engaged with each demonstration project. The Office will provide advice and support and will challenge schemes where appropriate. Much of our contact will be through Government Offices for the Regions. Projects will be expected to factor ODPM engagement into their planning and delivery processes and to be receptive to ODPM input.
16. Again, as this is a national initiative demonstration projects should collect some common measurement & monitoring data. Any agreement to measure and monitor data will be set within the context of ODPM’s commitment to decrease the burden of reporting generally. ODPM will work with demonstration projects to agree what data should be collected and how it should be presented.
Mixed Communities Demonstration Projects: ODPM’s role
17. Officials from ODPM centrally and the GO will work alongside each project to advise and help access specialist additional support where appropriate. This lead official will be in regular, informal contact with the Project. ODPM and the GO will reach agreement with each project on the detailed nature of the relationship.
18. ODPM engagement will be exercised in the following way. We will discuss with Projects the extent to which their plans incorporate the key points set out in para’s 13 & 14 above and agree success criteria with each. We will then invite Projects to submit their plans to our specialist panel to ensure best practice in being drawn on. We will ensure there are effective arrangements for networking and learning. And we will, with the Projects, devise a light touch monitoring process.
19. ODPM will establish a panel of specialists that Projects will be able to call on for expert advice. These will cover the following:
· Design / architecture
· Master-planning / land acquisition
· Finance and economics
· Housing development and management
· Transformatory change and ‘place making’
· Theme specialisms (e.g. crime, health, worklessness etc)
· Community engagement
20. ODPM has established a high level steering group that includes representatives from Treasury to oversee the Initiative. This Steering Group will engage other Government Departments as necessary.
21. ODPM will help projects learn from each other and good practice in this country and abroad. ODPM is establishing a learning network that will encourage information exchange. ODPM will organise seminars, study tours and other learning activities for demonstration projects.
22. ODPM has commissioned an evaluation of the Initiative. This will be a real-time evaluation involving all of the demonstration projects.
Next Steps
23 ODPM will visit each project during autumn to discuss the extent to which early proposals or worked up plans broadly align with this prospectus. We will then agree ‘terms of engagement’ with each project and discuss how project management, quality assurance and progress monitoring will be undertaken. ODPM will undertake further work on quality assurance and progress monitoring to ensure that these processes are kept as simple as possible and involve no (or very little) additional work for projects and Government Offices.
Neighbourhood Renewal Unit
ODPM
September 2005
Appendix 2(b) - Proposed boundary for ‘Mixed Community’ project area of influence |
Appendix 3 – Summary of Burngreave area and its characteristics |
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