GCH Secures Funding to Develop Regeneration Master Plan
Gloucester City Homes (GCH) has secured funding of £1.25m from the Governments newly established Estates Regeneration bid to create a master plan for the regeneration of the Matson and Podsmead estates.
Working with Matson and Podsmead residents, local agencies, Gloucester City Council and a range of partners, GCH will use the funding to develop proposals to progressively regenerate its two largest estates. This is with an ambition to provide a longer term offer of new homes, additional investment and designing places where people want to live, supporting a thriving community and improving the quality of life for residents.
Ashley Green, Chief Executive at Gloucester City Homes said “This is very welcome news for us and our tenants – and we are looking forward to starting consulting with the communities to develop an exciting vision and plan for the two estates.”
He went to say “This is a fantastic opportunity to transform not just the housing, but people’s opportunities for better health, employment, education and quality of life, and support the wider economic regeneration of the city.”
GCH, formerly an ALMO, became a housing association in 2015, with overwhelming tenant support to build new homes, maintain high levels of investment and provide valued services. A key part of GCH’s offer was a commitment to the regeneration of Matson and Podsmead which are estates where there are high levels of poor quality non-traditional housing and significant social and economic deprivation. GCH and the council are firmly committed to this ambition and believe that working in partnership with communities is vital to developing a viable and attractive master plan.
Anita Pope, GCH’s Director of Housing and Communities explained that “The £1.25m grant comes from the Government’s £30m pot of Estates Regeneration Strategy which is available to local authorities and housing associations to put towards enabling work on schemes such as feasibility studies, viability assessments and community engagement. This strategy sets out blueprints for success to help guide the progress and provide aspiration for delivering tangible plans whilst emphasising the importance of estate regeneration being locally led. I am delighted that the Government have recognised the need and potential to invest in these two estates”
Jon McGinty, Managing Director at Gloucester City Council stated. “The City has identified a housing need of 14,000 new homes (1) in Gloucester, which has seen growth of 9.4% in households over the last decade (2)and a 30% increase by 2033. The Matson and Podsmead regeneration will offer some much needed opportunity to increase housing numbers within sustainable communities”