creating communities to be proud of
moving forward
Moving forward
We are still continuing to progress and we are already well on the way to helping our service improve, building on the inspectors’ recommendations including;
- development of the adaptations service
- improving the appearance of estates
- reducing voids and empty properties
Cutting down on waiting time
Since the start of the financial year (2007), we have doubled the budget for disabled adaptations.
We have also substantially reduced waiting list numbers;
Date Adaptations on waiting list
June 2007 288
November 2007 177
March 2008 35
Round your way
Empty houses and abandoned streets are continuing to decrease. The number of Shoreline void properties across North East Lincolnshire currently stands at 455 (March, 2008) down from 577 in October 2007.
Over the last six months, nearly a third of available empty properties have been successfully re-let (379 in September 2007 to 249 in March 2008).
And…five of our neighbourhoods now have less than 1% of voids.
Our total number of voids includes those properties that have been earmarked for future regeneration programmes including;
- Guildford Street regeneration
- Oxford Street flats (East Marsh)
- Berrett House (Willows)
or those that are part of multi-million pound redevelopment schemes including;
- Freshney Green (former Yarborough estate)
- Burns Grove, Shelley Avenue (Nunsthorpe)
- £14 million pound modernisation of sheltered accommodation.
The redevelopment of Burns Grove and Shelley Avenue is reducing the number of empty properties while improving the appearance of entire streets. Major investment in partnership with North East Lincolnshire Council has funded;
- the installation of extra security and CCTV
- nearly £20,000 worth of landscaping, garden improvements and fencing to both private and Shoreline properties
- the refurbishment of 21 void properties
- the conversion of one and two bedroom properties into larger family homes to meet letting demand
- the installation of door canopies, metal gates and railings to transform the external appearance of properties and entire streets.
Considerable investment has begun on bringing the former council housing stock up to the government Decent Homes and Shoreline standards – nearly 2000 homes have already received investment work. Work is also being carried out on properties as and when they are vacated and on empty properties that have been left without investment for some time so that they can be brought back into the letting figure and allocated to new tenants.
Pioneering Project Horizon - a unique regeneration project – has reduced the number of empty properties by enrolling new tenants in a refurbishment training programme as well as offering them a home.
Over the last year the successful project – the first of its kind in the country – has seen:
- the refurbishment of 26 previously empty properties
- 19 unoccupied properties let
- the recruitment of 19 new tenants
- 17 tenants successfully complete their training placements
- 6 tenants finding permanent employment
- 11 previously homeless people settled in accommodation
The housing association is concentrating on creating a more efficient service to ensure that there is a quicker turnaround of the lettings process.
Following consultation with tenants and the wider community we have recently launched a reviewed Lettings Standard which enables us to re-let properties quicker and make sure that new properties meet the expectations of prospective tenants.
We may be blowing our own trumpet and patting ourselves on the back but we know we have already made significant improvements to your communities.
We know there is a long way to go but we will continue to address our weaknesses, build on recommendations and move forward.
© Copyright 2007-2008 Shoreline Housing Partnership Ltd.
Registered Charity Number 1107876.
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