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Report to Area Panel re Burngreave Fir Vale Masterplan Implementation Groups
Burngreave Area Panel Members Briefing
July 2006
Interim review of the Burngreave & Fir Vale Masterplan Implementation Groups
Introduction
The Burngreave and Fir Vale Masterplan Cabinet Report of 25 May 2005 agreed to establish Masterplan Implementation Groups for each of the key areas of change. Burngreave Ward Members received an update of progress towards this objective in November 2005 and a review of the operation of the groups in January 2006. This report provides a further update on the work of the groups.
Overview
4 groups are meeting regularly. There was to have been a fifth group covering Earl Marshal. Sheffield Homes have attempted to facilitate this group but, despite some residents showing initial interest, none have taken up the invitation to meet.
Each of the 4 groups operates in individual ways. All have made some progress towards their objectives as described in the attached appendices.
Specific successes
- Spital Hill has maintained a good attendance, made contributions to local issues mainly concerning transport/ parking and considered the future of the District Centre.
- Page Hall has met regularly with a consistently good attendance which has led to the formation of the Page Hall Community Association. A pro-active environment sub-group has been established and contributed to the improved street scene in the area. Agreement has been reached on priorities for future investment, assisted by a CABE Enabler, and options are to be presented to Area Panel in Autumn 2006.
- Burngreave New Housing Group has elected a vice-chair, covered a range of development issues, also assisted by a CABE Enabler, and is setting up a community conference in Autumn 2006.
- Skinnerthorpe/ Owler has commissioned a door-to-door survey of residents, the results of which will be considered when it starts meeting again in July.
Common issues
- Most groups have experienced some difficulties in matching meeting timetables to member’s diaries.
- Sustaining representative cross-section community membership is difficult, but with quite different symptoms in each groups.
Specific issues
- Spital Hill has had difficulty in meeting regularly due the change of Chairs and finding time in their diaries. Members of the group are unsure of its future role.
- Page Hall has had difficulty in involving private landlords.
- Burngreave New Housing Group is experiencing a decline in attendance which is causing difficulty in making progress on shaping future development.
- Skinnerthorpe/ Owler has experienced difficulty in establishing a settled membership in the past and will meet again in July, after a 6 month gap.
Recommendations
· That the groups continue to refine their particular roles and method of operating.
· That a further progress reports is presented to Area Panel Members in January 2007.
Appendix1: Burngreave New Housing Group
Chair: Councillor Peter Rippon
Vice-Chair: Ian Stokes
East Regen Lead Officer: Caroline Stiff
Attendance and operation
- The group has met 12 times
- Now chaired by Cllr T Ripen as Cllr Drayton is Lord Mayor
- The group has had 2 separate meetings about Catherine Street
- Features in the Burngreave Messenger
- Membership of the group has dwindled over the past few meetings. We do need members of the community, with an interest in helping to shape future housing in Burngreave to come along to the meetings.
Issues considered and work done
- The group is working with an enabler to assist them with the development of the design principles for Woodside which will go into the Market Brief.
- “Blue sky” thinking for Woodside, Ellesmere and Catherine Street
- Sheffield City Council Design Standards for HMR areas.
- Sheffield City Council Housing Strategies, including the Environmentally Sustainability.
- Housing re-development process.
- Self-build housing.
- Mixed Communities.
- Updates on re-housing visits for Catherine Street.
- Information about the Catherine Road development.
Future issues/ activities
- Public consultation event to be held Autumn 2006.
- Consultation on and development of the Market Briefs for Ellesmere and Woodside.
- Progress reports on the Catherine Street project.
- Information about the new development on the old Stanley Tools site.
Appendix 2: Spital Hill Project Group
Chair: Councillor Jones
Vice Chair: Rev Dr John Vincent
East Regen Lead Officer: Rob Slow
Attendance and operation
The group has met 3 times since the last briefing, 5 in all. Cllr Drayton chaired the February and March meetings but is unavailable during her Mayoral year starting in April 2006. Cllr Jones will take over the chair but was unavailable for the May meeting.
The average attendance is 13 people of whom 8 are residents/ traders.
A date for the July meeting has been set; dates for future meetings will be agreed then.
Organisations represented: Burngreave New Deal, Burngreave Library, Business in the Community, Burngreave Messenger, Shiloh Church, Burngreave Business Forum.
The terms of reference and work plan were agreed last year and a vice-chair elected.
Issues considered and work done
Agreed the draft Spital Hill Parking Strategy which will provide over 100 regulated, short-stay spaces linked to Public Realm and North Sheffield Better Buses.
Presentations and discussions on the Public Realm and North Sheffield Better Buses.
Discussions on Spital Hill as a district centre, facilitated by a member of staff from the University of Sheffield.
2 newsletters publicising the work of the group and development activity in the area have been posted to all businesses in the Spital Hill/ Ellesmere Green area.
Future issues/ activities
Establish a regular meeting schedule with Cllr Jones.
Contribute to the development and change happening in Spital Hill.
Consider liaison with other groups to promote successes in the area.
Transport and car parking, including consultation on the Public Realm.
Appendix 3: Page Hall Residents Project Group
Chair: Councillor Hussain
Vice-Chair: Ernesto Vivares
East Regen Lead Officer: Roger Wilde
Attendance and operation
The group has a core membership of around 12 people meeting regularly since September 2005 approximately every month. There is also an active Environment sub group.
A Design Brief has been agreed and prepared by Michael Rushe their Design Enabler (an architect who works with the group to render their views in a technical form).
The success of the group has been such that they have decided to form a local association called Page Hall Community Association (PHCA). This independence will enable local residents to access funding autonomously and thereby complement and build on the HMR and Council investments.
Issues considered and work done
As has been highlighted, the Housing Condition Study has shown that the housing stock is not structurally unsustainable. The residents group have suggested that utilising HMR funding to improve the odd worst house along a street was felt not significant enough to change the overall perception of the area. Nevertheless, the one aspect of housing refurbishment that was agreed was to look at improving the back yards and providing secure gated access.
The key priority for the project group has been the improvement of the overall street scene: enhancing and upgrading the paving surface, lighting and better traffic management have been suggested. It was felt that this would give maximum benefit to community safety, appearance, address perception of neglect and encourage first-time buyers to the area.
The involvement of social and private landlords will be an important part of the process, as the condition survey noted some RSL properties are in disrepair. Arches and SYHA are involved already and private landlords are also to be contacted with follow up by Private Rented Team, if necessary.
SYHA currently hold a number of empty Page Hall properties bought with HMR money. The group are keen that the properties should be offered as a priority to residents on Skinnerthorpe and Bagley Roads as relocation option.
The Environment sub-group have been very proactive and were keen to involve residents and local school children in replanting street trees and providing window boxes for the area. They have also planned a garden competition that will add to the Page Hall in Bloom campaign.
Additional consultation work was completed in June; carried out by the Children and Young Peoples’ Empowerment Project. Using peer research methods, young people gathered feedback on perceptions, use and vision of Page Hall by young people. A report has been produced outlining the hopes, concerns and aspirations. This will feed into the future work by the designer and remain as a resource for Fir Vale Forum and the Page Hall Community Association.
Future issues/ activities
A design professional is to be appointed, working to the brief, and produce a new set of regeneration options. An officers’ group are currently supporting the designer recruitment process and members of the Residents Group will be involved in this process. It is anticipated that the group will have a set of options to present to Area Panel by September 2006.
Appendix 4: Skinnerthorpe/Owler Implementation Group
Chair: Councillor Weldon
Vice-Chair: not elected
East Regen Lead Officer: Wendy Foster
Attendance and operation
The group has met 4 times with a 5th meeting scheduled for 4 July 2006. It has not met since January so that the home visits, described below, could be carried out and evaluated.
The group, chaired by Councillor Chris Weldon, started out with 20 local resident volunteers but the number of residents grew, peaking at 45, making meaningful discussion and consensus very difficult. The following action was taken to try and bring the number of attendees back down:
· Ongoing meetings between Councillor Weldon, ERT and a small number of particularly vocal Project Group members
· A representative from the Pakistani Multicultural Advice Centre, two Officers from ERT and 4 members of the Project Group held a 4 hour meeting to talk through, in detail, the specific issues of concern
In January’s meeting the number of resident attendees was 15, a number far more conducive for effective information sharing and full discussion of the agenda items.
All residents receive a reader-friendly newsletter style version of the minutes.
Issues considered/ work done
Nashayman HA carried out a series of one to one home visits throughout the Spring. The questionnaire used was devised by Strategy and Information and agreed by Project Group members and the Chair. Feedback from the questionnaires will be the main agenda item for July’s meeting.
Future issues/ activities
The agenda for the July meeting will be based on the following:
· Data Analysis Report (Nashayman HA)
· Possible priority allocation of SYHA properties at Wensley Court
· Exploration of process for allocating SYHA properties in Page Hall to displaced owner occupiers
· Security contract
· Priority for new build
· Phasing acquisitions
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