Derby Homes

Estates Pride is a £15 million seven year programme, running from 2006 until 2013, of estate based improvements and community initiatives.  This figure is subject to change, depending on fluctuations within the Housing Revenue Account.

Our aim is to improve the quality of life for residents in council housing areas.

Derby Homes consults with customers at Housing Focus Groups, stakeholder events and other meetings and conferences to discuss where the Estates Pride funding should be spent.  A number of projects have already been developed, including neighbourhood working, a youth inclusion project, capital environmental improvements, and regeneration of parks and open spaces.

For more information about projects planned for your area, call us on 01332 711000 and ask to speak to a member of the Estate Pride Team, or dial us directly on 01332 888500

Improving your estates:

The majority of ideas for the Estates Pride projects come from our tenants.

The sorts of suggestions we get for work include metal fencing, recycled fencing, pathways, drying areas, landscaping, and block paving. The aim of any improvement work is to improve the areas, and reduce anti social behaviour, making it a safer cleaner greener area.

The Regeneration team from Derby Homes visit the area with the surveyor to look at how improvements can be made.   We consult with residents giving details of the proposals. Our consultation involves writing to residents, knocking on doors, holding meetings, and putting information on our website. We also work with other agencies to secure funding for projects

Areas for future capital projects include:

• Donington Close
• St Ann’s & Leaper Street
• Parker Street shops
• Osmaston Park Road fencing
• Thanet Drive, Dovedale Close bungalows
•  Burton Road flats
• Cardigan Street bungalows
• Uttoxeter Old Road flats
• Haddon Drive bungalows
• Mornington Crescent
• Alison Close
• Peggs Walk,
• Abbots Barn Close
• Albemarle Road bungalows
• Caxton Street
• Finsley Walk
•  Poplar Close
• High Street flats

Your views are very important to us, so please keep the ideas coming in by emailing  sue.featherstone@derbyhomes.org  or val.lambert@derbyhomes.org

Or telephone 01332 711000 and get involved in the consultations about the sort of work we are doing

Some of our recent projects

Oscar play area

OSCAR (Osmaston Community Association of Residents) asked us to put another play area on the Osmaston Estate.  There was concern about the existing play area as you had to cross a busy road to get to it.

OSCAR have been involved throughout the project helping us with the consultation, talking to children, meeting with the contractors, & updating other residents and partners. Pupils from Osmaston Primary School have been invited to take part in a competition to design a sign to be erected at the entrance to the site and the winner will open the play area. The project is now waiting for planning permission and it is hoped that work will start on site in July 2012.  

Mackworth Allotment & Community Gardens

We received £49,999 from the Community Spaces Lottery fund, and match funded it with £25,000 Derby Homes Estates Pride money to create Mackworth allotment plots for the community. Our contractors cleared 3 acres of land, laid footpaths, installed water troughs, erected fencing, planted trees and marked plots.

The area, which is now run by Friends of Mackworth Community Allotment, was officially opened on 30 March 2012 by the Mayor of Derby.

Derby Homes door step play areas

We have already updated six of our door step play areas.

In 2012, we will look at the play areas at Oriel Court, Inverary Close, Lord Street and Ashworth Avenue with a view to either renewal or removal, depending on the results of consultation.

Recycling

Recycling facilities have been installed at:

Church Street, Marlowe Court, Gerard Street, Field Lane, City Road, Mansfield Road, Watermeadow Road, John Lombe Drive, St Clare’s Close

Facilities are soon to be installed at Holly Court, Ellesmere Ave, Parker Street and Quarn Gardens.

The Estates Pride team are working with Waste Management to gradually include Derby Homes flat areas on the city wide recycling scheme.

Jo Thorpe and her staff are contacting residents on each site by letter as the recycling is introduced. Letters will indicate collection days and usage of bins for each flat area.

Schemes  already on recycling from February 2012  are:
•    49 – 67 City Rd
•    1 – 9 Mansfield Rd
•    17 – 31 Watermeadow  Rd
•    2 – 20 John Lombe Drive
•    St Clares Close – cardboard collection bins
•    Holly Court & Ellesmere Avenue flats by the end of June
•    Parker Street rear of Housing Office by the end of June

We are also installing two ‘trial sites’ at Cavan Drive and Morningside Close, Chellaston where Node bins will be installed. 

If these prove successful with residents we will then proceed with the rest of the sites on Phase 1 of our flats list.