EUKN - United Kingdom - Learning lessons from the Estates Renewal Challenge Fund

Learning lessons from the Estates Renewal Challenge Fund

Introduction

Identifies transferable lessons from the Estates Renewal Challenge Fund (ERCF) experience, which could inform future practice in relation to area-based regeneration involving stock transfers and housing transfers concerning urban local authorities and negative value stock.

Description

This report:

identifies transferable lessons from the Estates Renewal Challenge Fund (ERCF) experience, which could inform future practice concerning area-based regeneration involving stock transfer and housing transfers involving urban local authorities and negative value stock;
reviews the existing literature relating to ERCF schemes and reports the findings of research on practitioner experiences of schemes, evidence on the delivery of ERCF scheme promises, and the contribution of ERCF schemes to neighbourhood regeneration extending beyond housing renewal; and
summarises the programme’s impact and conclusions from the study.

Background information

The research’s primary purpose was to identify transferable lessons gained from the ERCF for use in future practice schemes centred on area-based regeneration and/or the disposal of local authority housing stock.

Methodology

The research was undertaken using a combination of

focus group meetings (with Housing Associations and Local Authorities involved in ERCF);
telephone surveys;
case studies about eight ERCF schemes; and
an examination of research literature concerning ERCF and partial stock transfers together with an analysis of secondary data on ERCF landlords.

Conclusions

Local authorities and housing associations involved in the ERCF programme considered it to have been largely successful in overturning the deterioration of run-down and stigmatised estates. Significant lessons include:

providing public buildings and sports facilities can act as crucial component in neighbourhood revival, especially in ‘peripheral estates’;
developing ‘community buildings’ for public organisations can provide an income for housing associations and a social dividend for the area;
partial stock transfers to new landlords with regeneration responsibilities creates a neighbourhood organisation answerable to local people;
preparing a transfer Housing Association Business Plan may provide an effective tool for resident engagement and ‘community governance’;
housing led neighbourhood regeneration can catalyse bringing in funding for social and economic regeneration; and
giving a locally focused Housing Association control of housing and related assets allows them to take risks which benefit the community.

Contact info

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Phone: +44 870 1226 236
odpm@twoten.press.net

Publication date

01/03/2005

Project finished

Researcher

Hal Pawson et al, Heriot-Watt University

Article info
ISBN: 1851127763

Links

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now Department for Communities and Local Government)Heriot-Watt University

Learning lessons from the Estates Renewal Challenge Fund (PDF, Eng, 449KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Housing > Housing quality

Keywords

Housing improvement