Demolition of North Prospect to begin early next year
THE demolition of North Prospect will start next February.
The first houses to go in the massive £168million regeneration of the estate will be in the rundown Woodhey Road area.
The old North Prospect primary school and flats opposite the school will also be in the path of the bulldozers.
Barratt was named yesterday as the developer to carry out the £30million first phase of the work for Plymouth Community Homes (PCH).
The developer is expected to submit a planning application to Plymouth City Council in October, and begin demolishing 138 flats and houses in February.
Local people will have a chance to talk to Barratt representatives at the 'World on the Green' event at Cookworthy Green on Saturday.
But they are not expected to be shown detailed plans for the redevelopment, which will see the whole face of North Prospect change.
Martin Clay, manager of the North Prospect Partnership, criticised the secrecy of the process.
"I would like to see the plans laid on the table as soon as possible or people will get angrier and angrier," he said.
He called for residents to be kept 'in the loop' throughout the exercise.
"It is quite a critical situation for people," he said. "They have a lot of concerns about where their children will go to school, and the relatives and friends they are leaving behind."
He said he was in discussions with PCH about giving people the right to return.
Sue White, a North Prospect Partnership director, said her family had lived in the area for five generations.
"It's like a village, really," she said.
Barratt will build 247 new homes, including 89 privately owned, 114 for rent and 44 shared equity. The homes will be a mix of flats and houses.
The work is being masterminded by Plymouth Community Homes, which took over the city's entire stock of more than 15,000 council houses last year.
Tenants have been put at the top of the waiting list for new homes in the city, and 20 have already moved out since June.
But Mike Knowles, the PCH programme director, admitted there were difficulties in persuading some home-owners to sell up at market values in the region of £90,000 to £95,000.
He warned PCH would use compulsory purchase orders if it had to.
Part of the deal agreed by Barratt is to build a new 'community hub'.
This could include facilities like a learning centre, children's centre, health visitors and shops.
New homes for PCH will be built to the exacting code four standard, while privately owned homes will be at the lesser code three standard.
Part of the £30million deal with Barratt is to refurbish up to 60 houses in North Prospect, starting in the south of the estate, near Francine's chip shop.
The regeneration is backed by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).
Colin Molton, HCA director with responsibility for investment in the South West, said: "We are investing significantly in the North Prospect to support this vitally important regeneration project."
Mrs White called on residents to turn out in force at the World on the Green, which starts at 11am on Saturday.
"We want the whole estate to turn up so they can see how they will be affected," she said. "Everybody should be watching phase one so they know what to expect. That should take a lot of the stress out of it."
WORDSWORTH AREA: the forgotten corner
URGENT remedial work begins this month in Wordsworth Road and Wordsworth Crescent.
The area faces demolition in about six years' time, in phase three of the North Prospect regeneration.
Mike Knowles, Plymouth Community Homes programme director, said homes there were in a poor state and residents could not be expected to put up with their conditions for that long.
PCH will carry out interim work at once.
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Sue White, a director of North Prospect Partnership, said: "North Prospect was always the last in the queue for refurbishment, and in the whole of the estate, the Wordsworth area is the worst."
22 Comments
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by North Prospect resident, plymouth
Saturday, September 04 2010, 1:00AM
“As soon as i read the head line i knew there were going to be the arrogant and small minded comments from people who have nothing better to do than run people down. I have lived here for 6 years and in that time i have NEVER, been burgled, had anti social behaviour,been scared,threatened,felt lonely and believe it or not both mine and my husband's cars are still intact, in-fact the people living around my street are the first people who would help if i needed a hand to do something, always say good morning or hello, and to all those people who made the narrow minded comments i think you will find that not all people who live here are work shy, all my surrounding neighbours actually work!
And before you comment no i was not brought up in 'Swilly' we moved here with no local connection and we were welcomed, it really makes me angry when someone defines you by which area you live in, and and before you ask yes we do work!”
by ?, plymouth
Friday, September 03 2010, 3:15PM
“Its all well and good trying to make this area a better place in Plymouth but I was told by a resident in this area that the council are going to be putting council tenents in temporary homes then moving them back once the new homes where built?
If thats the case the rough will still be there? Shorly this money is better spend on something else?”
by Will, Gosport
Friday, September 03 2010, 1:02AM
“Not a homeowner but if I were in your position I would except this as an reasonable offer.
I too grew up in North Prospect and nearly bought a 3 bed house in Woodville for 15k around 1990.
If I did buy this at this price then 95k seems good, they could always offer you the market value at the price that you paid at the time.
Harsh but it might be wise to accept that offer becuase if they issue compulsory orders you could end up with less and will the courts favour you, I doubt it very much - it is a cruel world but it seems like they have the backing and if residents were to appeal, yes I suspect you will be heard but that is about it.”
by shane, devon
Thursday, September 02 2010, 11:16PM
“gazz you hit the nail on the head '£95k wont buy you a 3 bed house in Plymouth other than ex council' that is the whole point like for like.
Also since when is an old council house worth the same as a new build, that's like saying my 1986 Ford has just been written off, it's only fair i get a 2010 model.
I agree though that somone will be making nice amounts of money, but that's property for you and we would all do it if we had the chance.”
by shane, devon
Thursday, September 02 2010, 10:54PM
“Whilst I feel for those that do not want to move due to memories etc which is such a shame, but hands are tied as compulsory purchase orders will be used. They will have to pay market values and whilst I have had a quick scan I would think their range to be spot on. Lets not forget prices are not at the peak they were not so long ago, and what people ask for is not always market values but higher. You could have goldplated doors etc but it's still a 3 bedroom house in North Prospect.
People might be saying where are these people going to find 3 bedroom houses for £90-95k , lets not forget these people bought these houses at the relevant prices, it might have been all they could afford...if they could afford more they probably would not be living there. These houses are not your average semi though are they, they are at the lower end of the market.
Come on people get with it and use your heads, if you state you want an average value compared with similar sized houses in plymouth, will you then want people owning houses priced over the average losing money by stating they should get the average in a similar situation? No they should get the market value of what they own, market value is based on what properties are selling for in that area at any given time, just becase someone is selling a property for £110k does not mean that that is the market value.
I state again I do feel sorry for those that do not want to move, nothing worse than moving when you do not want to. Good luck to those in that situation.”
by L, St Judes
Thursday, September 02 2010, 10:49PM
“Shame the residents cant still be inn their homes when they are knocked down! To be honest £90k is alot of money to these people and they should be thankful the place is getting redeveloped!
As for giving them like for like in an area of their choice - get real and your head out the clouds you deluded people. How is swapping a run down, ex-council house for a nicer town house, in a better area, fair on anyone else?”
by The realist, Plymouth
Thursday, September 02 2010, 9:14PM
“The forgotten corner of Plymouth is Whitleigh,hardly any money spent in upkeeping the area,although built nearly 60 years ago.
Who on earth decides the priorities?”
by gazz, Plymouth
Thursday, September 02 2010, 8:31PM
“Its the land thats worth the money not the houses. They are offerring £95k for the land that the house sits on then they will built 2-3 rabbit hutchs in its place and sell each of them for far more than the £95k they are willing to pay. That £95k will not buy one of the houses built on the land previously owned so, I cant see £95k as fair market value. A select few people are going to make massive amounts of money from this development. The owners of the exsisting houses should be paid the selling price of one of the replacement 3 bed homes being build. That would be a more fair market value. £95k wont buy you a 3 bed house in Plymouth other than ex council and what happens in 10 years if they decide that area needs to be redeveloped.”
by not happy, plymouth
Thursday, September 02 2010, 8:18PM
“Wordsworth area is the worst."so why are we going to be last ,because of south west water and Plymouth Community Homes cant sell the home ,but we still have to live hear and pay are rent ,”
by Cc, Ham, Plymouth
Thursday, September 02 2010, 7:26PM
“Private homes in North Prospect are worth more than £95,000. No more than £110,000 though. It's all well and good demolishing an entire estate but where will the residents be re-housed?
South Trelawny School is only just coming down as we speak - the houses won't be ready for at least a year!
Am I missing something here?”