Local people in Lower Broughton, Salford, were unimpressed by talk of regeneration and had a negative view of private developers – a major hurdle for Countryside Properties plc to overcome in planning to improve the area. Countryside aims to create a sustainable community, by involving residents and partner organizations in the process.

Countryside wanted to create a new and sustainable community by protecting and supporting the community that was already there. The aim was to provide residents with information about the regeneration process and develop a collaborative approach, involving residents and partner organisations in the process and the project’s design. The project is expected to last up to 15 years once development begins, probably in 2006/07.

A community listening event was attended by over 200 people. This helped identify, on maps, good and bad parts of the area, its heart and its boundary. An information and consultation bus toured every street in Lower Broughton over ten weeks, enabling the partnership to build a profile of local households.

Regular meetings, newsletters and study trips for residents and partners were followed by interviews with young people, and a five-day workshop on transport, movement, open, green spaces and housing. The Lower Broughton Regeneration Partnership was established to formalise information sharing and community engagement.

Each event or activity attempted to create an environment where all partners can learn, including the developers. Sarah Whittington, Regeneration Manager at Countryside Properties, says study visits had allowed Countryside to show Lower Broughton residents what they had done elsewhere.

Learning points include all events and activities being comprehensively documented, in narrative and visual formats and as the work to date is pre-development, it is critical that the momentum and enthusiasm created is at least maintained or increased in order to allow the steering group to develop.

Local people and developers.

Partners include:

Funding was via Countryside Properties. In future project funding will also be provided by Salford City Council, Housing Market Renewal, Housing Corporation, housing associations and others.

Countryside Properties
Sarah Whittington (Regeneration Manager), tel. 01925 248 900

/06/2007

case

Urban Policy > Urban environment

Land use