Creating right mix for living

8:18am Wednesday 21st May 2008

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ENSURING that there are enough homes for the residents of Kidderminster and that the town's neighbourhoods are attractive and vibrant places to live - these are two key ambitions of an emerging regeneration programme for the town.

Building new homes is an essential part of a mix that includes shops, business and leisure uses.

In Wyre Forest district there is a recognised shortage of affordable' homes and the district council has identified the delivery of affordable housing and district-wide regeneration, as two of the authority's four corporate priorities.

The council has a well-established partnership with five housing associations (Bromford, Waterloo Jephson, West Mercia and the Community Housing Group) who actively develop affordable housing in the district. In recent years a number of new schemes have been developed close to Kidderminster town centre, including the former cattle market site and the old hospital site in Mill Street.

The housing associations are using funding from the Housing Corporation and the district council to embark on a major programme of housing renewal in Kidderminster. The first signs of the latest phase can be seen in the Horsefair where new housing has recently been completed at the junction of Blackwell Street and Stourbridge Road.

In addition, the four five-storey tower blocks at Windsor Drive have now been demolished to make way for a new development of semi-detached houses and low-rise flats.

Attention is now turning to the maisonettes at Grasmere Close which front on to the Stourbridge Road and suffer from a poor and outdated design. The surrounding area is recognisable by the three tower blocks.

Over the years the estate has faced up to a number of challenges including a higher incidence of crime and significant levels of deprivation and these are being tackled through substantial investment in the area which has included CCTV and the new West Mercia Constabulary Police base. There are no plans to replace the three tower blocks but consultation and discussions are now underway between the Community Housing Group and local residents about redesigning the area.

Exciting plans for a major new education centre for skilled trades is also expected to emerge for the former Sladen Middle School site immediately adjacent to the Grasmere Close community offering further scope to transform this part of town. The innovative proposals being developed by Kidderminster College will provide a jobs boost to the area and a significant training facility for local residents.

Other schemes currently underway within Kidderminster include Longfellow Green in Offmore, where replacement shop units are nearing completion and will free up a much- needed development of houses and bungalows.

Despite an apparent downturn in the housing market there will still be a need to build more homes in Kidderminster and private sector developers have a key role to play. Major opportunity sites include the former Tomkinsons and Georgian carpet factories in the Churchfields area of the Horsefair where up to 20 acres of redevelopment land may become available.

Elsewhere, there will be a focus on delivering homes within and around the town centre including Park Lane and the canal corridor. To the south of the town centre the focus of attention is likely to turn towards improving areas of Oldington and Foley Park including the Birchen Coppice estate.

The council is also working to help improve standards in the private housing stock with a particular focus on improving the energy efficiency and insulation of properties at a time of significantly increasing fuel prices.

The housing renewal programme is just one of the projects to be highlighted in a brochure being developed by the district council and its partners to promote investment in Kidderminster.

We would like to know what readers think about housing opportunities and regeneration in Kidderminster.

Is Kidderminster town centre an attractive place to live? What could be done to enhance town centre living?

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