Housing regeneration project moves a step closer

New improved homes, more jobs and training are in the pipeline as the third phase of a major £168million housing regeneration project moves a step closer.

When complete, the North Prospect development, a joint project between Plymouth Community Homes and Plymouth City Council, will see up to 1,100 new homes being built and 300 homes refurbished to meet a higher standard. Phase 1 is now complete and Phase 2 of the regeneration of North Prospect is well under way. As well as housing, a new community hub, The Beacon, opened last year, housing shops, a Children’s Centre, café and library, and 39 flats for older residents.

Phase 3 of the development, which is being delivered in partnership with Kier Living, will also bring with it a raft of apprenticeship, training and job opportunities.

Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Cooperatives and Housing for Plymouth City Council, said: “The regeneration of North Prospect is one of our most exciting schemes and will vastly improve this area of Plymouth which had previously been neglected.

“The new homes are being built to high standards and will be energy efficient and have lower fuel bills, as well as an enlarged and vastly improved green space at Cookworthy Greenaround the development.

“In addition the jobs and training this next phase of development will create in Plymouth will give local people some excellent opportunities.”

Clive Turner, Chief Executive of Plymouth Community Homes, said: “We’re extremely pleased to be progressing Phase 3 of the North Prospect regeneration programme. This shows our continued commitment to develop the area and fulfils the promises we made at the start of this huge project. It will add around 80 high quality homes to our housing stock for social housing tenants to rent, give around 30 people the chance to buy through our Shared Ownership scheme, plus just over 50 private homes for sale by Kier Living.”

To assist with moving Phase 3 of this major regeneration forward, the Council’s Cabinet is recommended to approve in principle a resolution to make a compulsory purchase order (CPO), if other avenues prove unsuccessful. A similar resolution was approved by the Cabinet to make a CPO on Phases 1 and 2, but in both those cases was not needed as an agreement was reached before this was necessary.

Mr Turner explains: “We work extremely hard to negotiate with home-owners and have never had to use a CPO as part of the North Prospect development to date. We are hopeful that this remains the case. Applying for a CPO is a precautionary but necessary measure when carrying out large-scale developments and has been the norm for each phase of the North Prospect development.”

Phase 3 is based around Wordsworth Road and Crescent and will involve the demolition of 145 homes and around 160 new homes being built in their place by Kier Living. The scheme is due for completion in March 2018.