The area was the last part of Horsens to be physically renewed. The physical environment was characterized by worn down housing, streets and common areas. Furthermore the area was characterized by having a large part of the unemployed citizens, poor people and alcoholics/drug-addicts of the town. Hence, a stronger focus needed to be directed at the social problems of the area and both physical and social projects would be necessary to start a positive and sustainable development in the area.

In a period of 7 years a deprived neighbourhood is being renewed mainly physically, and partly socially and culturally. The image of the area has changed significantly and a large part of the citizens are active in a new network. The area was selected because it was deprived, had a high rate of unemployment, the city renewal took place in this area already, and it is the last area in Horsens that had not been renewed.

Most of the budget for the renewal programme has been dedicated for physical renewal, however the social projects have not been under –prioritised but instead initiated by the citizens. There has been a strong citizen participation, which started with making the budget of the programme. The citizens decided how the budget for the different physical projects should be in 2001. Around 250 citizens participated and 100 of them continued in smaller work-groups.

Besides that the citizens have been given a budget for social projects and activities, of which they could apply for money if they wanted to do something for the neighbourhood. This means that citizen-groups are working together and get funded by the renewal-programme. All greater decisions are being taken in large open meeting for all citizens and many citizens participate in these meetings, from 90-250 participants at each meeting.

The projects we have carried out are now forming a significant part of the development of the area, together with private initiatives, which we did not have in this area before 2000. Now we have a group of active residents and the neighbourhood has achieved an improved image. The city-renewal programme has been carried through, both the ordinary projects and the "KVARTERLØFT" projects. The common facilities chosen by the residents are successes in the neighbourhood.

The 3.500 residents in the neighbourhood.

The financial resources of the project have been limited, since the municipality has been in a period of tightening the budget. This means that only the resources mentioned below have been available and hence the ambitions of some of the projects had to be fairly low.

83,5 mill kr. DK. Partly paid by the municipality, and partly by the Danish State. More money was fundraised for different projects.

Municipality of Horsens
Ms. Lene Krogh (Project Coordinator)

01/01/2001

case

Urban Policy > Urban environment

Urban renewal