SECTOR FOCUS: PROPERTY


Prospects are high for South West’s largest housing scheme


The redevelopment of North Prospect is one of the biggest of its kind in the South West. The programme is now just over 10 years old and nearing completion. Phase 3 has been completed and Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) has secured Government funding needed for Phase 4, the final phase. So what has been achieved in


the past decade? Planning for the regeneration


began in 2009, following the transfer of homes from Plymouth City Council to newly-formed housing association PCH. In that time, more than 700


homes have been completed across the first three phases of the programme. Phase 1 was chosen with the


community at a number of events in 2009 and 2010. Rehousing started in the


spring and PCH helped the first 140 households to move. During this time there was a change of Government, a loss of funding and many stakeholders feared the programme would falter. It didn’t and construction soon started. New build proved popular and


‘More than


700 homes have been completed across the first three phases’


30 metre drop in levels across the site and due to the range of


house types built. In total, 347 new homes


were constructed.


PCH had no trouble letting the homes and selling its first shared ownership. PCH also built the Beacon


Community Hub, an investment of £3.8m into a facility purpose built for the community. Phase 2 started as Phase 1


neared completion. It was the largest single phase and required 240 households to move before construction began. This was a challenging phase in part due to a


In 2015 North Prospect won the


Inside Housing award for Best Regeneration Scheme against stiff national competition. The judges recognised the community involvement in the project and the transformation of the neighbourhood. That year also saw a VIP visit to North Prospect from HRH The Princess Royal to view the progress so far. While the new build phases have


held the limelight, PCH has also structurally repaired and refurbished homes. The refurb programme, delivered by Mi-space, saw £15m invested into 300 homes. Phase 3, built by Kier Living, has


now finished and includes 81 homes for affordable rent, 31 for shared ownership and 47 for open market sale.


PCH received some good news


recently when it got the green light for Government funding for Phase 4 – the final phase of the development. PCH will receive £2.3m from


HRH The Princess Royal


central Government, thanks to the intervention of Johnny Mercer MP, and £3m from Homes England. It has also received support from


Plymouth City Council, which has agreed to contribute £1m and is considering a further £500,000. It is anticipated that at least a further £3m will be available from Homes England for homes being built after March 2022. Building work by development


partner Vistry (formerly GallifordTry). Phase 4 will have 196 homes.


Regeneration benefits The regeneration has seen numerous benefits, from improvements in people’s health and wellbeing to reductions in crime and a boost to employment prospects. The new homes are now far


more energy efficient, resulting in lower fuel costs and reduced carbon emissions.


Residents have enjoyed better


physical and mental health outcomes as a result of living in homes that are easier to maintain. Local crime has fallen significantly, thanks in part to the scheme’s Secured by Design (SBD) accreditation. The national police crime prevention initiative works with architects, developers and local authority planners to work together to ‘design out crime’. In conjunction with Kier Living and


City College Plymouth, PCH ran the North Prospect Training Academy, which saw learners gain experience of working on a real-life building site with sub-contractors. Many went on to gain jobs afterwards.


Visit:www.plymouthcommunity homes.co.uk


Spring 2020 Chamber Profile 45


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