Award-Winning Site Boosts Graduation Hopes
UNIVERSITY students chose an award-winning regeneration scheme on Teesside to help boost their learning.
The undergraduates, studying sustainable regeneration at Northumbria University, took a trip to Tees Valley Housing's Trinity scheme in North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, the recent winner of two UK Housing Awards.
The students heard about the scheme, a joint project with Middlesbrough Council and Keepmoat Homes, from Martin Hawthorne, Group Director of Development and Regeneration for Fabrick, the parent company of Tees Valley Housing.
More than 30 students, all final year undergraduates or Masters students, travelled to Teesside to learn more about the scheme, why it was carried out and its outcomes.
The visitors were also given a tour around the development, which recently won the "Outstanding Achievement in Housing in England" award at the UK Housing Awards, run by industry magazine Inside Housing and the Chartered Institute of Housing, as well as the "Creating Better Places to Live by Regenerating Communities" prize.
Martin said: 'We were thrilled to be able to talk to the students about this award-winning scheme, which has been an absolute success and one we are very proud of.
"We hope the experience proved invaluable in helping these students in their degrees and helping them become the regeneration experts of the future."
The scheme has transformed a run-down market square with 1960s maisonettes on one side and a tired looking shopping centre on the other into a cutting edge, attractive mixed-use scheme that now includes:
- A new medical village including five doctors' surgeries, pharmacy and optician
- The Trinity Centre community facility
- An extra care housing scheme, containing 42 older persons apartments with lounges, a bistro, shops, hairdressing, medical facilities and gardens
- A childcare nursery
The aim of the Trinity Crescent development was not just to replace run-down housing but to create a sustainable community of mixed housing with first-class facilities.
The community was fully involved from the start with residents, the Trinity Church, faith groups, local businesses, social services, the health care trust, the police and construction teams helping to deliver the scheme.
A council survey has shown that since the development perceptions of the neighbourhood have improved and people feel safer, are less worried about house burglaries and are more satisfied with the area.
The development also had extra positive spin-off effects including projects to improve the lives of younger people in the area which has led to the reduction of anti-social behaviour.
Initiatives were also formed to improve community cohesion between the people who live in North Ormesby and the wider community.
A new allotment association was formed and other community projects to cut down on stray dogs, increase employment and improve community safety and crime detection were also successful.
Julie Clarke, Senior Lecturer for the School of the Built Environment at Northumbria University, said: "The visit was a huge success and the students were very grateful to Martin for giving up his time to talk to them about the Trinity scheme.
"Our students, who are all studying modules on sustainable regeneration and the community, benefit enormously from being able to visit real life regeneration schemes such as Trinity. It helps their studying come to life."
The students heard about the scheme, a joint project with Middlesbrough Council and Keepmoat Homes, from Martin Hawthorne, Group Director of Development and Regeneration for Fabrick, the parent company of Tees Valley Housing.
More than 30 students, all final year undergraduates or Masters students, travelled to Teesside to learn more about the scheme, why it was carried out and its outcomes.
The visitors were also given a tour around the development, which recently won the "Outstanding Achievement in Housing in England" award at the UK Housing Awards, run by industry magazine Inside Housing and the Chartered Institute of Housing, as well as the "Creating Better Places to Live by Regenerating Communities" prize.
Martin said: 'We were thrilled to be able to talk to the students about this award-winning scheme, which has been an absolute success and one we are very proud of.
"We hope the experience proved invaluable in helping these students in their degrees and helping them become the regeneration experts of the future."
The scheme has transformed a run-down market square with 1960s maisonettes on one side and a tired looking shopping centre on the other into a cutting edge, attractive mixed-use scheme that now includes:
- A new medical village including five doctors' surgeries, pharmacy and optician
- The Trinity Centre community facility
- An extra care housing scheme, containing 42 older persons apartments with lounges, a bistro, shops, hairdressing, medical facilities and gardens
- A childcare nursery
The aim of the Trinity Crescent development was not just to replace run-down housing but to create a sustainable community of mixed housing with first-class facilities.
The community was fully involved from the start with residents, the Trinity Church, faith groups, local businesses, social services, the health care trust, the police and construction teams helping to deliver the scheme.
A council survey has shown that since the development perceptions of the neighbourhood have improved and people feel safer, are less worried about house burglaries and are more satisfied with the area.
The development also had extra positive spin-off effects including projects to improve the lives of younger people in the area which has led to the reduction of anti-social behaviour.
Initiatives were also formed to improve community cohesion between the people who live in North Ormesby and the wider community.
A new allotment association was formed and other community projects to cut down on stray dogs, increase employment and improve community safety and crime detection were also successful.
Julie Clarke, Senior Lecturer for the School of the Built Environment at Northumbria University, said: "The visit was a huge success and the students were very grateful to Martin for giving up his time to talk to them about the Trinity scheme.
"Our students, who are all studying modules on sustainable regeneration and the community, benefit enormously from being able to visit real life regeneration schemes such as Trinity. It helps their studying come to life."
